Dead or Alive
by lowkeytimdrake
Summary: A new team would be plagued with the idea, are they "Dead or Alive"?
1. Chapter 1

**Gotham City**

 **August 8, 2017**

 **12:18**

"It's just an introduction to the team, Firecracker," a teenaged boy spoke into his phone, a small smile on his face. He was balancing his phone on his shoulder, his hands too busy packing a bag. He picked up his folded uniform, his eyes scanning it for any tears.

 _I am finally getting the chance to prove myself as a hero,_ Noah thought, stuffing the clothing in his bag as he readjusted his phone. _Even if I am…_ he shook his head, clearing his thoughts. Noah knew that if his girlfriend knew what he was thinking, he would be chastised for his negativity.

The door to his room opened, causing the boy to turn away from his activity. "Hurry up, Noah, we don't want you to be late on your first day," Jason spoke as he entered the safehouse room. Noah nodded in the older man's direction, tossing more clothing in his book bag.

"I'll call you back later, Charlotte," Noah hung up his call with his girlfriend, ignoring the smirk plastered on Jason's face. "Are you going to keep staring at me or start helping me with my stuff?" Noah asked, giving his mentor a lopsided grin.

"Alright, smart-ass, I see how it is," Jason Todd joked, grabbing one of Noah's already packed bags, along with his utility belt. "How does Charlotte feel about you joining a team of heroes?" Jason asked as Noah finished packing his last bag.

"She thinks I could use more friends," Noah replied honestly, "But she hates that I won't be able to spend as much time with her." As they conversed with one another, the duo made their way out of the safehouse, walking into different alleyways.

"You'll make it up to her later," Jason said, giving his adopted son a suggestive wink. It had only been three years since Jason had 'adopted' Noah, yet the two could not be any closer.

As they turned into the mouth of another alleyway, Noah's comfort was replaced with anxiety, each step inside filling him with nervousness. _What if the new team doesn't like me? What if they know I'm a monster?_

Jason Todd stopped his march, turning his body towards a boarded-up phone booth leaning against the brick wall. "Alright kid, this is our stop. Want me to go in with you?" Jason asked, "Or are you too cool for me now?" Noah took a deep breath in, subduing his anxiety and replacing it with confidence.

"I'm way too cool, old man," Noah joked with the 21-year-old, unlatching the phone booth door, and entering the confined area. Jason handed Noah his bag, typing in coordinates on the telephone receiver. As he entered the last digit, Jason ruffled the younger boy's black hair, shifting the locks from their gelled position.

"Be safe!" Jason cooed in a faux father manner, closing the phone booth. A bright light encircled the 15-year-old's lithe body, enveloping him. "And be in bed by ten!" Jason called out, his voice being drowned out by a robotic female's.

"Ghost King, C-05."

* * *

 **Mount Justice**

 **August 8, 2017**

 **12:15**

The Zeta-Tubes flared to life, a white light casing the entryway. The anticipated girls all took steps forward from the living room, excited to meet their new team mate. "Logan Zimmerman, C-02," the computer announced.

"Damn it Logan, you got us excited," Victoria complained, taking her seat back on the couch to resume her video game. The rest of the girls took their respected seats once more, watching Victoria play the newest first person shooter game.

Logan entered the living room, carrying two pizza boxes. "Here's dinner," he replied lamely, his New Yorker accent faint. He put the stack on the coffee table in front of the group. McKenzie, who was not playing video games, opened the box quickly, the aroma of pizza beckoning her.

McKenzie picked up a smaller pizza slice, looking towards Logan with gratitude. "How was work?" She questioned, taking a bite out of her meal. Logan took off his dark blue EMT hat, tossing it on the coffee table as he sat next to McKenzie on the couch, opposite of Victoria and Yessenia.

His gaze shifted over to Victoria and Yessenia as they fought over the gaming controller. "Have they been arguing all day?" McKenzie nodded in reply, looking away from his gaze. "Then my day was a lot better than yours."

McKenzie found her eyes focusing on the two girls as well as they pushed each other, fighting for control. Victoria and Yessenia were instant friends, and the two got along together better than any other team member, but they bickered quite often.

Logan stood up from his position on the couch, taking the controller in his still-gloved hand and tossing it towards McKenzie, who flawlessly caught it. "It's Mack's turn, why don't you two eat before Noah arrives?" He suggested. Before the girls could whine, Logan had left the living room, heading towards the kitchen in pursuit of coffee.

Victoria snatched the pizza box before Yessenia could reach it, a triumph smile spread across her face. Before the young Amazon girl could do anything, the Zeta-Tubes flashed once more. The three girls shared a look, before scrambling to their feet as quickly as they could.

Just as the girls reached the entrance, a male exited the entry point, the robotic voice announcing his name. The moment he entered the room, the air took a more chilling stance, matching his darker appearance. The teen, clad in all black, walked up towards the girls.

"You're shorter than I thought you would be," Victoria joked earnestly, looking down at the shorter boy. Standing at 5'5, the boy was shorter than all of the girls, and he craned his neck up slightly to look at them.

Noah chuckled at the girl's greeting. "I'm Noah," he outstretched his hand towards Victoria, who took it without hesitation. She gripped his hand tightly, flashing him a perfect smile; however, that wasn't what Noah noticed first about her.

"I'm Victoria." Victoria's hand shake proved to him that she was a very dominant and determined person, and he already respected the Italian girl. Everything about her appearance resembled that of a leader, from her stance, to her angled face. His purple eyes bore into her blues ones, which were hidden behind a curtain of her dark brown hair, before he scrutinized the remaining team members.

The tall Amazon girl behind Victoria outstretched her own hand politely, a small smile stretching across her tanned face. "It's nice to meet you Noah. We are glad to have you on the team! I'm Yessenia, but you can call me Yes," Yessenia introduced herself, her enthusiasm showing through each word. Noah took her hand in his, her grip just as strong, if not stronger, than Victoria's. He was able to make eye contact with the girl, her brown eyes illustrating her excitement.

His eyes flickered to McKenzie, who kept her head down. Her blonde hair covered her eyes, shielding her from his gaze.

"You must be McKenzie," he initiated their interaction, but McKenzie only offered him a small wave and smile from her position, not looking up.

 _Lack of handshake shows a lower self-esteem, a wave in replacement represents kindness._ Noah couldn't help but use his training to analyze each of the members. He made himself a mental note to later talk to the shy girl, wanting her to feel comfortable around him.

Noah's eyes shifted onto Logan, who had entered the entryway, a coffee mug in hand. Yessenia smiled gleefully, "This is Noah!" She said cheerfully. Even though the girl was known to be reserved at times, she couldn't help but be energetic at the boy's arrival.

 _He likes order,_ Noah concluded from the older boy's appearance. Logan was still in his EMT uniform, his light blue button up still tucked into his black slacks, which were ironed out neatly. Logan stuck out his hand, greeting Noah with a loose, gentle hand shake.

"Now that you're here, you can help us with our mission," Logan said. Noah nodded in understanding.

 _That's right, someone is dead and they need my help._

* * *

 **A/N: Most updates will be a lot longer (Between 4,000-10,000 words), but this was just to introduce the characters. This chapter focused mostly on Noah, but other chapters will focus on different characters. If your character is involved in the story, please answer the following questions in your review:**

 **1\. Besides your own character, which character do you want to see more of?**

 **2\. Which friendships/relationships would you like to see happen?**

 **3\. Any other story ideas, not mission wise/related?**

 **Thanks in advance guys, you're the best! :)**


	2. Chapter 2

**Mount Justice**

 **August 8, 2017**

 **21:10**

It didn't take long for Noah to want to explore the base, hours passing since his arrival and introduction to the young team.

 _Well, mostly young…_ Noah thought. Most of the members on the team happened to be fifteen (Noah and Yessenia) or seventeen (Victoria and McKenzie), except Logan, who was a month shy from turning twenty. _I wonder why he hasn't joined the Justice League yet,_ Noah continued pondering about the eldest team member, entering the training area.

The smacking of skin against pleather was loud, echoing in the large room in a repetition. Noah remained silent as he watched Victoria box against the defenseless punching bag, her fists making quick and steady contact with the object. It was late at night, so it surprised the young bat to see anybody working out, especially as vigorously as Victoria.

"Want to spar?" Victoria's sudden question had somewhat startled Noah; however, he confidently left his position from the shadowed corner.

The thudding continued, Victoria barely breaking a sweat. "Maybe later," Noah replied. Victoria grabbed the bag, pulling it towards her body as Noah stepped up to her. "Do you normally train this late at night?" Even though he just met her, her health was important to him. The girl shrugged indifferently, pushing the bag away as she advanced to the benches.

She picked up her chilled water bottle, "I usually don't, but this case we are working on has everyone on edge." She sat on the bench, taking a sip of the beverage. "Especially me, considering I'm in charge of it," Victoria added with a chuckle.

It was obvious the girl was stressed about the deaths occurring, feeling solely responsible for solving the case; however, she didn't reveal as much to Noah, instead choosing to be direct instead of emotional.

"You're the leader?" Noah asked in light shock, sitting down next to the girl.

Victoria, once more, shrugged her shoulders. "Everyone has their own cases, there really isn't a leader," Victoria revealed, resulting in Noah's confused expression. The Italian elaborated for the new member, "Obviously, Logan is in charge, but he doesn't like bossing us around. He gives us the chance to lead our own missions, and this one happens to be mine."

Noah's leg began bobbing up and down as he continued the conversation, "Why doesn't he accept a permanent leader position?" Out of everyone he met, Logan was the one to feel like an enigma to him. Even McKenzie slowly opened up to personal conversation with him, but the older male only talked about mission business.

Victoria stood up from her seated position, making her way back up towards the bag. Her work out session continued as she replied, "He did accept it for a while, but Batman made him quit. Felt it put too much pressure on him." Victoria's knuckles, which were raw pink from the friction against the bag, hit the seam, splitting the bag open. "Damn," the girl cursed, waving her hand in pain.

Noah chuckled at the action. "It's okay, I do that all the time too." Victoria flashed a smile in his direction as she removed the bag from its chain, throwing it in a stack with other discarded punching bags.

* * *

The rest of the team had found themselves in the kitchen, the two girls struggling to make cake from scratch. Yessenia cracked open an egg against the bowl, the yolk and the shell falling into it.

"This sucks! We should have just bought a premade cake," Yessenia chortled, using her free hand to scoop out the shell from their batter. McKenzie snickered quietly from behind her hand. The two girls weren't as close as Yessenia and Victoria, but McKenzie felt comfortable around the other girl.

"Want to add nuts to the batter?" McKenzie asked politely, stirring the ingredients together while Yessenia prepared the oven.

"Maybe not, we don't know if Noah is allergic to them or not," Yessenia replied, turning to the girl as she wiped her hands on her apron.

Logan entered the kitchen, his work bag slung across his back, "According to his file he isn't allergic to any type of nuts," the boy informed. It was no secret that the medic had memorized each of their medical records, but to know Noah's already was impressive to Yessenia.

He poured himself hours-old coffee into a travel mug, Yessenia scowling at the action.

"You're going back to work?" She complained, "You only had ten hours off shift. We were hoping to have a party," Yessenia added, fixating a hand on her hip. It wasn't every day that the group welcomed new entrees.

Looking down to pick up his hat, Logan found himself pushing his Ray Ban glasses further up his nose to avoid them from falling off his face. "I'm on call for the next two days," he briefly explained to the young girls, straightening out his jacket.

McKenzie stopped mixing the batter, "Do you want us to wait until you have a day off?"

"No, it's okay Mack. Your party would probably be more fun without me there anyway," Logan suggested in a light manner. After each word he said, he had walked closer to the duo.

Yessenia sucked on her teeth, rolling her eyes in the process. "Yeah, no kidding. You'd probably just mother us the entire time," she joked, although completely serious in her accusation.

Logan ruffled Yessenia's hair gingerly, "That's the spirit. See you two later!" After offering both girls a smile, and McKenzie a pat on the shoulder, he left the base for the night.

"Are we adding nuts to the cake or not?" McKenzie repeated her earlier question, looking up towards the Amazon. Yessenia pushed her baby hairs off of her forehead with her wrist, humming in questioning thought before nodding.

* * *

 **New York City**

 **August 9, 2017**

 **03:14**

"What about you Zimmerman?" Logan looked up from his files, an eyebrow arched in confusion at his name's mention. His coworkers all sat around the break room, coffee wafting through the air as most of the squad ate. He closed his manila folder, which had contained information about the murder case the heroes were working on. "Why are you an EMT?"

"I don't know," Logan responded lamely. He stifled a yawn behind his hand, checking the time. _I should take my medication soon,_ Logan internally reminded himself.

"Oh bullshit," his coworker, Nate, joked. "Nobody puts in 1,200 hours in technical training for something they aren't sure of." The older man interrogated, eating a sandwich as he spoke. "And they certainly don't take other people's shifts if they don't like the job."

"Well, I did," Logan retorted, his lie appearing flawless. He didn't like to be dishonest, but this was one of the occurrences were a fib was better than the truth.

Nate rolled his eyes, before turning his attention back on the other squad members, allowing the hero to inspect the crime case once more. Even though the case was Victoria's to handle, he still found himself examining the murders whenever he had the chance.

He checked the clock again, debating whether or not he would be able to skip today's dosage. His eyes fixated on his arm, hidden behind his jacket, sighing when he found his conclusion. He took the orange vial out of his jacket pocket, swallowing his pill dry.

It had been two years since the incident, yet it still haunted him. His mother's horrified expression and his younger sister's scream embedded into his mind, embarrassing him enough to stop contact with the two. His arm itched at the memory of his family.

The lights in the room shifted, changing from its constant white shimmer to a blaring red, a siren crying as the light flashed repeatedly. Nate, the squad leader, stood up quickly, shouting orders. "Brown and Zimmerman, you're riding in the back; Edwards, you're with me." His words were drowned out by the siren's wails and the scuffle of feet running towards the ambulance.

* * *

The teenaged girl looked at the EMTs through tear stained eyes, struggling against the bounds of the gurney she was strapped in to. "Were you trying to kill yourself?" The female paramedic asked the younger girl, her training over ruling her emotions.

The girl only cried in response, apologizing profoundly through hiccups. While the female technician talked to the patient, Logan attempted to clean and apply gauze to the girl's wounds on her wrist, holding her arm tightly to cut off blood circulation.

"Have you tried killing yourself before?" The female paramedic interrogated, connecting the girl to an IV. Logan looked at his coworker, still gripping the young girl tightly. The girl struggled against the bounds, the strap rubbing at her arms uncomfortably, widening the width of the self-harm wounds.

Logan unbound her arms, helping her up into a sitting position. "What the hell are you doing Zimmerman?" Veronica Edwards demanded in a near-panicked tone at the young male's disregard of training. The teenaged girl had calmed down slightly, her hiccupping slowing.

"I like the band on your shirt," Logan complimented the girl, gazing down at her 'Fall Out Boy' clothing. She looked up at him, her blue eyes meeting his brown. "Have you seen them live?" He asked. The girl nodded her head.

"Yeah, it was one of the best nights of my life," the sixteen-year-old admitted. "I can't wait to go again," The girl continued the conversation, her crying stopped. The tear streaks on her face evening out.

Nate turned his head to look into the back, "ETA in two minutes," he informed. The two EMTs in the back nodded.

Veronica began stitching up the wounds, grateful that the girl was too distracted to resist. Logan had a kind hand on top of the girl's hand, smiling reassuringly. "I have another concert planned in two months."

The ambulance had pulled into the hospital, Logan strapping her into the gurney again as she spoke. When the emergency vehicle stopped, the back doors opened, nurses grabbing the gurney and rushing her into the ER.

The duo watched the doctors vanish inside the building, leaving them behind. Veronica began putting supplies away, "You broke protocol," she reprimanded in an angry tone. Logan sat up from his previously crouched position, pushing his glasses up his nose.

"She's just a kid, Vi. She was scared," Logan defended his action, helping her clean the area. The older technician shook her head in disapproval, opening her mouth to argue with him.

After leaving the driver's seat, Nate had joined the two technicians in the back, stepping up into the van and interrupting the two. "Leave him alone Veronica, the girl would have passed out from panicking if he didn't release her." Nate patted Logan on his back with a smile. "For a job you didn't know you wanted, you're awfully good at it."

* * *

 **Mount Justice**

 **August 9, 2017**

 **07:30**

Noah entered the kitchen, yawning as he greeted his already present team members, who were idly talking as they ate breakfast. After pouring himself a bowl of cereal, the boy sat in a chair next to Yessenia, joining them.

"So, what's the next step in your case?" Yessenia asked, directing the question towards Victoria. The taller girl swallowed the remaining bits of her granola bar before replying.

"Now that we have Noah, I want to revisit the last crime scene to see if he can talk to the victim," Victoria planned with the group. The necromancer chewed on his meal lazily, his hand supporting his head.

"I can do that later, right?" The boy would be lying if he said he wasn't tired. He had spent most of the night tossing around, unable to properly sleep in the new environment.

Victoria stood up, cleaning after herself. "You can finish breakfast, if that's what you mean by later," Victoria disclosed, the boy moaning at the order. McKenzie and Yessenia chuckled, watching the boy's head drop deeper into his hand.

"You'll live," Victoria assured. "We leave in thirty minutes." With that said, majority of the occupants left the kitchen in order to get ready for the mission; however, Noah stayed behind, groaning in complaint as he finished his Lucky Charms.

* * *

McKenzie exited the bathroom, her uniform hugging at her body.

The armored leggings shielded the bottom half of her body, hidden underneath a short green skirt, while the top of her uniform was designed in a snake diamond-like pattern. The entire costume was based off the teen's powers, which were similar to that of a snake, or more honestly, the God Asclepius.

McKenzie traveled down the hallway into the docking bay, where her team sat waiting for her arrival. The shy girl blushed when she realized she was the last arrival, fidgeting nervously.

Victoria, with her hands on her hips, smiled. "Glad you could join us Mack," she teased. She ushered the team into the jet as she checked her utility belt for its usual weapons.

Noah sat down in the seat closest to the back, adjusting his dark trench coat so he could sit easier. "Hopefully you all don't have assigned seating," he japed as he buckled in. Once finished, he applied his domino mask to his face, similar in style to the rest of the bat family. The mask wasn't the only similarity though, for his black long-sleeved Kevlar shirt adorned a red bat symbol and his black combat pants were being held up by a utility belt.

Yessenia sat down in the seat next to him. "Lucky for you, we don't," she quipped. Noah readjusted himself to look at her, smirking lightly.

"Alright good, because I wasn't going to move," he taunted with a leer, leaning back in the seat triumphantly. Victoria finally entered the jet after the others situated themselves, moving towards the cock pit in long strides, her knee-length combat boots clicking on the metal flooring as she walked.

Victoria's dark purple cloak danced behind her as she moved, the hood up to cover her dark brown hair. Despite the cloak's cover, her thighs, chest, and face were exposed from her dark purple body suit, a white cross stretching throughout her chest.

Victoria closed the doors to the cockpit behind her, leaving Noah, Yessenia, and McKenzie to prattle by themselves. The three glanced at each other awkwardly, expecting the other to say something first.

Yessenia sighed when neither Noah or McKenzie initiated conversation, taking it upon herself to commence one. "So, No, how are you going to help us with this case?" Yessenia asked the boy, playing with the metal cuffs on her wrists as she spoke.

Noah ran a hand through his hair, answering, "I'm a necromancer, so I can summon the dead." _Am I really a part of the team, or am I here only for this case?_ Noah questioned himself internally after Yessenia's question, biting on the side of his cheek.

McKenzie turned to them both, a soft-spoken 'wait' interrupting Noah from continuing. "So, let me get this straight… Yessenia is 'Yes' and Noah is 'No'?" The girl taunted, giggling behind her hand. Yessenia's mouth gaped open, shock evident on her face at the ironic realization.

Noah cackled, sharing a look with Yessenia. "I guess so Mack," he admitted.

* * *

 **Keystone City**

 **August 9, 2017**

 **09:23**

Noah couldn't wait to stand up and stretch his legs, so when the jet finally landed on the roof of the apartment building, the boy immediately left his seat. He impatiently waited by the latch for the others, twisting his ring on his finger.

Victoria left the cockpit, opening the latch for the group to escape the jet. Noah exited, turning to see the others exit as well. His eyes widened in awe as the jet morphed itself in an invisible stature. "Sweet," he commented under his breath.

"Come on," Victoria led the group down the fire escape, before shimming through a window and into an apartment. Yessenia followed her first, readjusting the sword sitting on her hip. Both Noah and McKenzie waited until the weapon was clear out of their sites, before they entered as well.

The room they entered was dark, the air chilly and stiff with death. The moonlight shining through the window provided the group with enough vision to see a bloody print on the carpet, the CSI tape outlining the position of the removed body.

Noah bent down to investigate the blood spatter on the living room couches, the liquid pooling on a seat cushion. Noah squinted at the furniture, before sighing, "You know you can turn on the lights, they don't scare the dead."

McKenzie flipped the light switch on, unveiling the gory scene in front of them.

The blood spatter was sparser than they previously expected, it lying on the walls and half way across the apartment. Noah closed his eyes momentarily, before reopening them.

"Do you see anyone?" Yessenia asked eagerly, looking around the small living room. The room's temperature dropped, the lights dimming suddenly. The Amazon girl unsheathed her weapon, holding it close enough to her chest to obscure the Wonder Woman symbol on her black cropped shirt.

Noah stared passed Yessenia. "Hello mate," Noah greeted the intangible ghost. The deceased man glided closer to the necromancer. "Do you know who killed you?" Noah questioned.

The ghost's eyes shifted to Yessenia, glaring at the weapon in spite. He turned to Noah. "He will kill you all," it warned, somewhat over dramatically. Noah's eyes furrowed, _who is he?_

"Who is he? Who killed you?" Noah repeated, stuffing his gloved hands inside his jacket pocket. The room's temperature dwindled once more. Noah spared a glace in the direction of the girls, all of them shivering, even Yessenia, who adorned a brown leather jacket.

The ghost's figure lightened after each second that passed. "He will kill you," the man reiterated in a moan-like tone, before disappearing completely. The lights shone brightly again, the temperature increasing after the ghost's departure.

"What did he say to you?" Victoria inquired, stepping closer to the boy. She was careful to avoid stepping on any of the blood accentuating the carpeted floor.

"He said, 'he will kill you', but didn't tell me who he was," Noah informed the girls, taking his hands out of his pockets. The group shared confused looks with one another, all wondering what the deceased man meant.

* * *

 **Mount Justice**

 **August 9, 2017**

 **11: 03**

The Zeta-Tubes flashed, announcing an arrival to a deserted base. The silence of the empty mountain almost echoed, giving the area an eerie vibe.

Logan emerged from the light, his legs on auto pilot as they brought him to the living room. He was grateful that the teenagers weren't hanging out for once as he sat down on the couch, covering his face with his hands.

 _Eight people died today in under twelve hours,_ he reminded himself almost bitterly of his shift. _What's the point in being an EMT if everybody still dies around you?_ The man pulled his hat off, gripping it tightly in his hands, his knuckles turning white from pressure.

He knew that the girl from earlier that morning was safe, but it didn't outweigh the losses to him. The dark circles on his face indicated the day's events, announcing his sleepless week profoundly. Logan leaned back into the couch, taking in a shaky breath.

He debated whether he had time to sleep before the group returned from their expedition. It had been maybe four days since he was able to sleep, and blinking was beginning to feel painful. His internal debate on the couch turned into an unplanned nap, the boy's glasses falling off his face as he leaned back onto the cushion.

* * *

Victoria ripped her mask off her face as she walked towards the debriefing room, glad that she would be able to add new information onto the case file. Even though the information the team received was stressful, it was information nonetheless, putting the team one step closer into finding the killer.

The group watched the leader's retreating figure with knowing looks, McKenzie and Yessenia fully aware of the daunting task. McKenzie looked at the taller girl, elbowing her in the side to get her attention.

"Do you want to go ice the cake now?" McKenzie whispered lightly, hoping that the bat wouldn't be able to hear her. Yessenia nodded curtly, watching Noah turn into the hallway where the bed rooms were. The two girls waited until Noah was out of ear shot before talking once more.

"I'll ice the cake and you get the balloons," Yessenia ordered, not waiting for the girl to agree. Yessenia quickly moved towards the lounge sneakily, while McKenzie went to retrieve the balloons hidden in her bed room.

As Yessenia entered the lounging area, she spotted a mop of messy brown hair peaking from the couch's edge. Her intentions of the kitchen were forgotten as she walked deeper into the living room, an eyebrow arched in confusion.

Her eyes softened when she saw Logan's sleeping figure, her hands moving to his face to remove his askew glasses. She held the frames in her hand for a moment, surveying the older boy's rugged and messy appearance.

The neatness had vanished from his stature, it being replaced by exhaustion. He looked paler than usual, his freckles appearing darker in contrast, and Yessenia could only guess that it was because he was over working himself.

McKenzie ran into the living room carrying the balloons and party poppers, one hanging from her mouth excitedly. Before she could blow into the noisy toy, Yessenia brought a finger up to her lips, silencing the smaller girl.

Yessenia moved closer to the girl, whispering, "We can wait to have the party. Give him two hours to sleep." Even though he had suggested having the party without him, Yessenia didn't want the eldest to be left out of the fun. _Even if you feel too old to have any fun anymore,_ Yessenia added mentally.

* * *

The party poppers vibrated in the air, the noise cackling in the previously quiet kitchen. "Welcome to the team!" Everyone, save Noah, cheered.

The bat boy nearly leapt onto the ceiling in fright at the sudden noise, surprised that the group was even able to surprise him. He smiled genuinely when he saw the banner and balloons drifting about the room. The decorations resembled a birthday party more accurately than a welcoming one, but Noah was too grateful of the kind action to mention it.

"So does this mean I'm officially on the team?" Noah asked. Victoria smirked, wrapping an arm around the smaller boy's shoulders.

She pulled him in the direction of the cake Yessenia and McKenzie had made, the party poppers still echoing around them. "Yes, sadly!" Victoria joked cruelly, pushing into the boy. Noah smiled lightly at the cake.

 _Maybe this will all work out after all,_ Noah thought to himself as he looked around the room of smiling faces.

* * *

 **A/N: Hopefully you all enjoyed this (short) update. Once again, I have questions for my OC creators:**

 **1\. Who is your favorite character at the moment? (Besides your own)**

 **2\. Do you want this story to remain being rated T or do you want it to be rated M? (Rated M for angst, not smut)**

 **3\. What are you liking and disliking in the story so far?**

 **Also, if you were invited to the blog and it asks you for a password, the password is my username. Happy readings!**


	3. Chapter 3

**Mount Justice**

 **August 14, 2017**

 **14:06**

McKenzie hit the floor with an audible thud, her harsh breath escaping her mouth as she collided with the ground. Her eyes widened as she rolled over to stand up on her legs. "Maneuver 14 is unsuccessful," she called out to her fellow team mates, hiding her body behind an obstacle.

"Try 17," Victoria suggested, flipping over a training bot charging towards her. She used her momentum to launch herself near McKenzie, standing in front of the shorter girl. McKenzie braced herself to be thrown at the robot, using Victoria's outstretched hands to balance herself as Victoria adjusted herself briskly, catapulting the smaller girl. While midair, McKenzie shifted her lower body into its snake-like tail, before wrapping itself around the robot's head and dismantling it.

Victoria cheered, pumping her hand up and down victoriously. "That's what I'm talking about! Some kickass girl power!" Victoria applauded, high fiving McKenzie as she slithered off the android's frame. She transformed her body once more, replacing her lizard tail with legs. McKenzie smiled shyly, allowing Victoria to wrap her arms around her.

 _I love it when I'm included in girl power celebrations,_ McKenzie confessed internally as she wrapped her arms around Victoria's more powerful frame. Both girls turned to look at the rest of the team, who had watched their training exercise.

Noah smirked from his position, crossing his arms across his chest as he stepped forward. "Girl power is great and all, but I'm sure Logan and I could fight circles around you," he taunted, looking back towards the older boy who was still seated by the sidelines.

Logan's face turned doubtful, an awkward expression gracing his rugged face. "No, we couldn't. Victoria is the strongest fighter on the team while McKenzie is the smartest one," Logan admitted, smiling at the girls' triumph facial expressions. "Plus, Yessenia trained under both Wonder Woman and Black Canary." Yessenia leered at her name's mention, joining the girls on the training platform.

Victoria stuck her tongue out at Noah briefly, before responding, "And this is why Logan is my favorite boy." Noah rolled his eyes at her exclamation, a playful smile spread across his face.

"I was trained under Batman, Red Hood, and Nightwing," Noah reminded the group, confidence gracing his body, "Let's spar and see who is the better fighter." Victoria looked at both girls, her eyebrow arching in nonverbal communication. When both girls gave a curt nod in response, the more abrasive girl stepped closer to the small boy, her arms raised in preparation.

"You're going down, tiny," Victoria chaffed, before charging at the boy. She attempted to punch him, but he deflected her attack with his arm, pushing her to the side momentarily. Unfazed, she used the opportunity to bring her arm back, elbowing him in the nape of his neck, causing him to stagger forward a couple of feet. He stopped himself inches before his face collided with Yessenia's foot, grabbing her near her knee and flipping her into Victoria's advancing position.

Both girls fell in a heap, their limbs tangling with one another with strangled cries. Noah turned his back to them, eyes squinting to focus on McKenzie. "I guess that just leaves you," he teased, cracking his knuckles as he spoke. He repositioned his hands in a boxer-like stance before throwing a jab at McKenzie's face. She ducked the punch, raising her own hands to fight back as her legs curled into a tail, flicking the appendage at Noah's lean legs. With a strained _humph,_ Noah's body found itself crashing onto the floor.

Victoria stood up first, determined to continue the fight. "You sure are cocky," Victoria noted at Noah, "Despite the fact that you're on the floor." Noah smirked hazily from the floor, using his arms to pick himself up.

"It's part of my charm," he chortled. McKenzie's eyes narrowed in on an object in his hand, her head tilting in suspicion as he applied pressure to it. McKenzie felt a jolt of electricity run through her, distracting her from Noah's oncoming attack as he threw a batarang in her direction, hitting her in the center of her chest.

Victoria sneered as the girl's body slammed onto the training platform. Before she could tackle the smaller boy, she felt herself being lifted off the ground slightly by the back of her shirt. Logan pressed her back into his chest, holding her still. "Come on guys, we are team. It's better to learn how to fight together than against one another," he reminded them. He returned Victoria's footing to the ground.

She placed her hands on her hips, grumbling, "You're only stopping us from fighting because you know I would have killed him."

"No, I'm stopping you from fighting because it would have ended in a tie anyway," Logan interjected as he helped McKenzie stand up. Before either fifteen-year-old could protest, he continued, "Who cares about who the better fighter is anyway?"

Yessenia snorted from her position. Sometime after the girl had first fallen in the fight, she had climbed into the rafters, prepared to jump down upon the newest team member. She sat there, her legs dangling off the side. "You're only saying that because you suck at fighting," she mocked. Logan stood up from his crouched position, shaking his head with a light smile.

"I don't suck at fighting, I just choose not to," he defended himself. Yessenia jumped down from the rafters. She landed next to a sore McKenzie, who rubbed at her ribcage from the previous batarang attack.

"Sure," Yessenia agreed sarcastically, her eyes rolling. Her attention shifted to Noah, who stood proud next to a fuming Victoria. "You didn't win, just so you know," Yessenia sneered, pointing her finger at him.

"I don't know mate, it sure feels like I did," he glanced up just as Victoria tackled him onto the floor, the sound of his fall echoing in the large space. Before any of them could react to the outburst, an alarm rang throughout the training room, the wails screaming for their attention.

Victoria whined, removing herself from the straddling position she previously had on Noah. "You're lucky, tiny," she said, offering her hand to help him up. He took it without second guessing, letting bygones be bygones.

* * *

 **Unknown Location**

 **August 14, 2017**

 **15:46**

Victoria scanned the area with her binoculars, eyes narrowed in concentration at every minuscule detail. _Four guards on the upper level, six guards on the lower level, two guards near the front door,_ she internally noted. The group crouched behind her as she counted off the hench men, all in various positions and armed with guns.

The Justice League had been tipped off about a weapon shipment, believing it to be related to their string of murder cases. Victoria struggled at first to make the connection from her case to the shipment, but trusted her mentor's intuition. Victoria took the binoculars away from her eyes, turning to the group.

"There are guards on both the ground floor and second balconies, so keep an eye out. Ghost King, Amazon Girl and Adder, you take the lower level; Logan, you're with me," Victoria ordered, before signaling the others to go forward. She waited until the first squad deployed, and watched on in interest as they worked together stealthily.

Noah remained in the shadows, either as a result of his bat training or from his necromancer life, taking down two guards with swift movements. After putting one in a head lock, Noah hid the unconscious guard in a shadowed area, his gun tossed aside in a place he would be unable to reach. The other guard had been stunned silently with a taser, his body placed expertly on the other's. Victoria's eyes traveled to McKenzie, a good twenty-five feet away from Noah.

McKenzie was quicker with her movements, her fast reflexes matching that of a snake even though she still possessed her human appendages. Using non-lethal poison, McKenzie perfected her strikes to take down the armed guards, covering their mouths with her affected hands from behind.

When Victoria managed to find Yessenia in the darkened side of the building's outskirts, she was surprised to see the young Amazon flying above them, nearly aligned with the second outdoor balcony. The tall girl hid herself, and used the butt of her sword to overpower the guards below her. After striking in their neck pressure points, the guards fell down without hitches.

Victoria turned to her remaining team member, nodding at him in permission to advance. He slid down the hill top quietly as Victoria perched herself higher, aiming her crossbow at one of the guards. She waited until Logan's figure appeared at the ledge of the second story, pulling himself up to be behind an unsuspecting guard.

The Huntress trainee aimed her crossbow before shooting it, the arrow hitting an armed hench man and exploding with foam. He was soon covered, unable to move or make a sound. Victoria reloaded her weapon cautiously, waiting to take her next shot.

The eldest team member, after dismantling the first guard, moved onto the next. Victoria watched as he disappeared from her view, his all black uniform blending him in the background perfectly. He advanced from the shadows, using a guard's own gun to hit the hench man in the face sharply, a soft but audible crack erupting. Victoria didn't wait for the last guard on the balcony to turn around and take aim at her team, taking her shot at him quickly yet effectively.

After all the hench men were disarmed, the group recollected themselves on the ground floor, all looking at Victoria for guidance. Victoria took off her hood for a moment, allowing the breeze to go through her dark brown hair. "We'll enter from the ventilation system before coming up with our next move," Victoria explained briefly.

Victoria had looked at the group, hoping that they would make a sign of either approval or disapproval. When she received none, she sighed, before signaling the group to head inside. _I wish I knew if what I was doing was a good plan or not,_ Victoria doubted herself, standing behind momentarily to quickly rethink her plan. Victoria was usually confident, the girl knowing that she was trained well beyond expectation, but she still struggled in believing in her leading capabilities.

Noah had been the first to find a vent able to withstand the team's size, and he led them indoors. He crawled in the thin space, a small flashlight in his hands helping him to see his destination. Once he came within four feet of a grate he paused, halting the others behind him. He moved his hand, ushering Victoria closer to look out.

The girl nearly gasped at the sight of over three dozen hench men, either occupied in unloading a small box or protecting it. _What could possibly be so important in that tiny box?_ Victoria asked herself for a split moment. She pushed against the grate, removing it quietly before leaving the tiny crawl space. After she was out, she ducked behind larger boxes shoved to the side, forgotten, and collecting dust.

Yessenia looked at her best friend, her hand clasping onto her sword tightly. "What's the move?" Yessenia asked. Her other hand itched towards her belt, where her golden lasso sat unused and bright. Victoria was almost embarrassed, unable to come up with a plan that called for this much enemy attraction, yet that was quickly overcome by her confidence.

"I don't know, wing it," Victoria suggested, shrugging her shoulders with a smile. The impulsive girl didn't wait for her team's reaction before leaping over the boxes, her cross bow armed. Unable to pull her back, the team watched on as she shot one of the crew members, gaining the attention of the others. Before they knew it, gun shots were echoing throughout the warehouse building, ricocheting off certain surfaces with loud _bings._

Yessenia looked at the still hidden team members, before hitting her sword against her shield twice, "Let's get going!" She cheered, vaulting over the boxes to join her friend. Back to back they stood in the center, Yessenia's shield raised to protect her.

From their hidden position, Noah and McKenzie both looked up at Logan. The eldest gripped the strap to his book bag tightly, before looking out at the scene. "Well, she is the leader," he reminded the two, taking a deep breath before dashing out from behind the boxes. Without hesitation, the two joined the others.

As Noah rounded out from the boxes, he took out a smoke grenade, throwing it into the ground. Not long after, the room's occupants found themselves blinded by the dark substance, the hench men unable to see the heroes. The blind fire cut through the smoke, the panic in the guards rising.

Victoria stopped shooting when the smoke filled the room, afraid to accidentally hit one of her team mates. She unsheathed a knife from her side, holding it up in front of her. "Maneuver 3," Victoria called out to Yessenia, who she could still see the outline of. Yessenia hit the guard closest to her with her 'W' symbolled shield, freeing the area for Victoria's plan. The Amazon girl threw her shield forcefully toward her team mate and watched as Victoria expertly flipped over it, planting a bomb on it. While she was still in the air, Victoria managed to grab hold of Yessenia, pulling her down with her to protect her.

The loud boom echoed in the pace, rocking the building. Throughout the scuffle, Yessenia was able to put herself over Victoria, protecting her from any debris. Along with the audible shake of the building, the bullets still rang out from their weapons. A sharp hiss was heard, before a cry of pain. When the smoke started clearing, Victoria was able to assess the situation.

The sharp hiss had come from Noah, who held his shoulder tightly with his gloved hand, blood seeping through his fingers. The cry had come from… Victoria looked down at herself, a moment of realization crossing her features. _I was shot._ The cry had come out of her own lips, hands quickly going down to apply pressure to her thigh.

"Are you okay?" Yessenia asked her, her hands applying painful, super-powered pressure. Victoria nodded, although even she didn't believe herself.

The leader pointed at Noah, "Go check on Ghost King, I'll be alright." With a look of remorse, the Amazon bounded off towards the smallest team member.

Victoria took out her cross bow once more, shooting it out at three close knit shooters, the arrow exploding and throwing them off course. Taking up all her arrows and all of McKenzie's energy, the guards were soon taken down, leaving the room to the heroes.

Logan bent down to Victoria's level, pulling his book bag off his bag. "Pain rate?" He asked her as he unzipped the bag, pulling out a first aid kit. Victoria brought her hand up, displaying four fingers to show her anguish. "The bullet grazed your thigh, no known ballistic fragments," Logan notified her. He pulled out disinfectant and gauze, handing her the kit to find pain reducers.

"Well, so much for going in hot," Victoria joked to herself. Yessenia crouched next to her, along with McKenzie and Noah. "Are you okay?" She asked Noah as she dry swallowed the medication before handing it to him.

Noah exposed his shoulder to her, which was protected by long sleeve. He took the medication from her anyway, swallowing his own share to reduce the bullet shock he was still feeling. Victoria didn't even notice that Logan had completed his task, including giving her neat stitches and wrapping her thigh in protective bandages.

Victoria looked over at McKenzie, before speaking. "Go check what was in the box," Victoria requested as she attempted to stand, leaning against Yessenia for support. The other girl wrapped her arm around the leader's waist, propping her weight up against her. McKenzie disbanded from the ground, taking a crowbar to open the nailed shut box. With little effort, the girl was able to open it, tossing aside the crowbar.

"What is it?" Yessenia asked, lifting Victoria up a bit so she could walk forward with her. McKenzie pulled out a reaper's scythe, confusion evident in her body language.

"I don't think that's been used," Noah spoke up, walking closer to McKenzie and the deadly equipment. "I don't sense any death within it," he added, his powers coming in use. He stopped himself from grabbing the weapon, leaving it with McKenzie instead as he swiftly turned around. The temperature in the room dropped, but Noah knew it wasn't from his willpower.

The doors opened harshly, the crash resonating throughout the room as billows of smoke entered the area, cascading in the lower level. A hooded figure glided inside, his arm outstretched. The weapon twitched in McKenzie's hand, before being ripped from her grip and flying towards the unknown occupant. Yessenia braced herself, protecting both Victoria and herself with her recollected shield.

"Who are you?" Noah asked in a demanding tone, stepping in front of McKenzie. The hooded figure looked up, his skeleton grin stretching. The doors shut behind him with a snap, containing the group in the room. Noah outstretched his hand in front of McKenzie in a protective stance as he repeated his question. "Who _are_ you?"

The lights flickered on and off as the skeletal figure raised his scythe above his head. "I am Death," he rasped, his voice eerie in the room. The skeleton figure glided slowly, getting closer to Yessenia and Victoria; however, Logan stepped in front of them, his mask shielding his furrowed expression. The villainous creature looked at the nineteen-year-old, his scythe lowering momentarily as he spoke, "You have cheated me before." Death's hollowed figure looked over at Noah, his expression turning gruesome. "As have you."

Noah stepped closer to Death, unafraid of him. "I haven't cheated you!" He exclaimed. Death raised a boney hand towards the young boy, his cloak hanging off his body.

"You bring my souls back to this plain for your use. You cheat me," Death hollowed out, the smoke billowing out from underneath his cloak in a quick fashion. Victoria quietly formulated a plan, whispering it to Yessenia.

Yessenia's attention was half on the scene playing out before her and half of Victoria, who whispered in her ear, "We need to evacuate. Take Mack and bring her back to the jet, then come back." Yessenia nodded at the order, although skeptical. She didn't want to leave a wounded Victoria at the will of Death himself, but figured that a quiet and quick evacuation was needed.

Yessenia had carefully released Victoria into Logan's awaiting arms, before flying to McKenzie, who was horror struck. She took the smaller girl into her arms, before bolting, leaving the three behind.

Victoria stood up, pushing herself away from Logan. "I'm not going to sit here and allow you to bully my team mates, I don't care who you are," Victoria snapped. Death's attention shifted onto her, his eyes narrowing. Logan grabbed a hold of the younger girl, almost hiding her behind him.

He wisped towards her, his waving cloak nipping at the two's ankles. Death's scythe was lowered tremendously, the weapon out of view as it hid itself in the fog. "I'm not here to claim their souls, Victoria, I'm awaiting yours," he retorted, unmoved by her earlier defiance. While Death was preoccupied with Victoria, Yessenia had reentered the building, grabbing for Noah. The boy struggled, upset he wasn't able to help, but he was no match for Yessenia's super strength.

Victoria stared at the man, anxiety flooding her. _I'm not ready to die,_ she cried internally. She clutched Logan's arm tightly, watching as Yessenia flew out of the room, her hand covering Noah's mouth. _I need to stall so everybody can leave safely,_ Victoria planned. "I am not dying today," Victoria challenged, her head held high.

Death chuckled, his grin cracking his jaw. "Not today. Soon though." The reaper cackled, before disappearing completely. The room's lights brightened and the temperature increased drastically. Victoria found herself falling into Logan's grip, hugging him for any kind of reassurance that she was still alive.

* * *

 **Mount Justice**

 **August 14, 2017**

 **19:45**

Victoria lay in the med bay, glaring at the ceiling as she tried forgetting the day. The throbbing pain in her thigh was returning, as well as Victoria's anxiety about her conversation with the villain. _He can't really be Death,_ Victoria debated, playing with the gauze wrapped around her securely.

The doors to the medical bay shuttered open, Yessenia entering the coven with Jell-O. She held it out for her friend, who took it in her hands gingerly. Yessenia sat on the edge of the cot, a reassuring hand on the girl's uninjured thigh. "Want to talk about it?" Yessenia asked politely, frowning. Victoria mimicked her friend's frown, turning away from her.

"I'm okay," Victoria lied through grit teeth. She smiled at her friend though, eating her treat gratefully. Yessenia's frown deepened, but she stood up anyway. She figured that the girl would come to her if she wanted to talk about the incident, so with a hesitant wave, the Amazon left the other girl alone to her thoughts.

Once Victoria knew the Amazon was out of ear shot, she sighed deeply through her nose. _How would anyone be okay after being threatened by Death himself? He taunted me with knowledge of my own demise._

The thoughts crept up on her, eating her alive as she struggled with its meaning.

* * *

McKenzie felt the curiosity nipping at the corners of her brain, which had persuaded her to knock on Noah's room door, allowing herself entry before he gave her clearance. When she entered, Noah rolled over on his bed, staring at her.

"Hey," he spoke into his phone cautiously, "I'll have to call you back later Lotte." He tossed his phone at his pillow, standing up to feign confidence. "Hey Mack, everything okay?"

McKenzie closed the door behind her, feeling awkward. The girl normally didn't have enough self-esteem to talk to the group, let alone an individual person, but she felt as if the topic was important. She played with her fingers, stroking the hem of her short-sleeved shirt. "How did you cheat Death?" Her question was direct, which was the opposite of her personality.

Even Noah was thrown off by the question and its serious tone, his eyebrows furrowing. He sat down on his bed once more, patting the area next to it. McKenzie closed the gap almost instantly. He sighed, running his hands through his hair before speaking. "I was almost murdered before being taken in by Red Hood," Noah revealed, wringing his neck with his hand. "That's all I really want to say about the subject."

McKenzie stood up, still confused but not wanting to upset the newest team mate. There was a lot she didn't know about him, and it fascinated her. _But at the same time, he knows nothing about me either._

* * *

Logan entered the medical bay, a bottle of water and medication in his hands. "Hey Tori," he greeted the injured girl, forcing her out of her own thoughts. She took the offering gratefully, greedily taking the medication to lessen her pain, which had been aching her for close to half an hour. "Is it okay if I redress your wound?" He asked her considerably.

She nodded, giving him a tired, faux smile. He put on the purple latex gloves sitting near her before unraveling her bandages carefully and gently, one hand resting near her knee in an almost reassuring manner. Every touch he had was gentle, lessening Victoria's anxiety about the wound. He inspected the stitches and the bruising surrounding them, cleaning them with disinfectant wipes.

"Can I ask you something?" Victoria asked. Logan's paused his action of rewrapping Victoria's thigh, looking up at her. "Do you think I'm a good leader?"

Logan continued wrapping her thigh, speaking as he did so, "You're a better leader than you think." He finished addressing her wound, putting the supplies away neatly. "You were able to get your team out of a disastrous situation with no severe injuries and you protected them when you felt you needed to. That's what a leader does," Logan reassured the girl, sitting back down near her as he played with the sleeves of his hoodie.

Victoria smiled lightly, comforted by the gentle boy. "Is Noah okay?" She asked for the second time that night.

"His shoulder was clipped, nothing severe," Logan answered the younger girl, but she shook her head.

"He seemed really fazed on the ride back, like something was bothering him," Victoria informed the eldest. Even though she was hurt herself, the girl cared about her team mates, even the newer ones. "I don't want to pry in his personal life, but I think someone should," she added with a suggestive tone. Logan stood up, smiling lightly.

"That's what makes you a better leader than I ever was, Tori. You care about people, you protect them, and you offer them hope. You're the best leader that this team could have, so don't begin doubting yourself," Logan hinted back at her earlier question, pushing the shutter doors open as he walked out, leaving Victoria to smile by herself.

Even though she was left by herself in the darkened room for the second time that night, she felt more assured and less anxious this time around. She smiled, closing her eyes to get some much deserved rest.

* * *

 **As always, I will ask you some parting questions.**

 **1\. Who do you think your OC's best friend would be?**

 **2\. How do you want their back story to be revealed?**

 **3\. If any team member would be kidnapped/tortured, which one do you feel would have the most devastating impact on the team? (I am lowkey revealing story ideas through questions, yikes)**


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: This is a trigger warning for the following: rape/murder/torture/gore. If you wish to skip this, skip the named entries.**

* * *

 **Mount Justice**

 **August 15, 2017**

 **10:34**

With a strut in her step, McKenzie walked through the halls of the mountain base, a certain destination in mind. As she neared her stop, McKenzie opened the doors to the medical bay, a bowl of cereal in her hands. The waft of sterilized instruments and latex pierced her sense of smell as she entered the brightly lit room, reminding her about Victoria's injury and yesterday's events.

Victoria's gaze shifted over to McKenzie, her eyes going wide with joy as she sat up straighter in her cot. McKenzie smiled as she made her way closer to the leader. "Mack, I could propose to you right now," Victoria admitted, taking the food that was offered to her in her hands. As she began eating her breakfast, McKenzie sat down at the edge of the bed.

"How are you feeling?" McKenzie asked, looking at her team leader through worried eyes. The team was still fairly new, so Victoria's wound had been the most serious in the team's history, which alerted the young half-serpent girl. Victoria responded to her between bites.

"I'm feeling better. I can't go out on any missions until I get my stitches out though," Victoria grumbled, pouting much like a child who didn't get her way. McKenzie offered her a small smile in return, her hands wringing together in her lap almost awkwardly.

 _I want to be closer to my team, like they are with one another._ McKenzie reminded herself, forcing herself to continue her conversation with the leader, despite her timid nature. "When will that be?" McKenzie asked politely, shifting slightly to get more comfortable on the bed's edge.

Victoria put down the now empty bowl on the bed side table, propping herself up to better communicate with her team mate. As the girl spoke, she played with the bandages wrapped around her thigh, "Seven days if I'm lucky."

McKenzie bit the inside of her cheek. _I forget that Victoria is one of the only people on the team without super powers; she always carries herself as if she's invincible._ "That sucks," McKenzie sympathized lamely.

"Yeah, but I deserve it for being rash," Victoria confessed light-heartedly, a brief chuckle interrupting her, "But how is Noah doing?" McKenzie had briefly forgotten that the necromancer had also been shot during the team's mission, Noah not complaining even once about his shoulder.

The half-serpent leaned to rest her head against her palm. "He's doing okay. He's out of commission for four days though to keep the integrity of his stitches," McKenzie informed her. "He seems more upset about being 'grounded' than he is about being shot," McKenzie added jokingly, a smile gracing her face.

Victoria rolled her eyes. "I can relate to that. Logan's recovery rules are just as annoying as they are dumb," Victoria fumed in a faux manner, making fun of the protective nature of the eldest team member. McKenzie giggled in response, grateful that she wasn't in either Victoria's or Noah's predicament.

"At least you get out of training for the next couple of days," McKenzie provided, hoping that the excuse from the excruciating task would make Victoria feel untroubled. Victoria smiled lightly at the convenience of a break. "Speaking of training, I have to go. But I'll be back later today with your lunch," McKenzie said as she stood up.

As McKenzie made a move towards the exit, Victoria took a hold of her wrist lightly, forcing McKenzie to turn around. "Thank you, Mack, it means a lot," Victoria said gratefully, a serious look in her blue eyes. McKenzie nodded, before relocating herself to the training area.

* * *

Noah greeted McKenzie as she entered the room, waving her over to sit next to him on the benches. "I thought you were decommissioned for the rest of the week," McKenzie conceded as she sat down.

The necromancer shrugged his shoulders, leaning back so he could rest himself against the wall behind him. He grumbled, "I am, I just wanted to watch you guys train." McKenzie's eyes followed his stare, her orbs now focusing on Yessenia and Logan sparring. By now, she was used to how each of her team mates fought, save Noah's new presence.

Yessenia was a more direct fighter, throwing punches and quick jabs, while Logan was a defensive fighter, blocking her blows. McKenzie watched on in interest as the young Amazonian girl landed a punch against Logan's jaw line, stunning him for a brief moment. Noah leaned in closer to McKenzie, gaining her attention as he spoke to her.

"Is he normally that…" He struggled for a moment to find the appropriate adjective, "…that passive of a fighter?" He finished his question, directing it towards McKenzie. Both of their eyes were still on the sparring session, scrutinizing their team mate's style. Yessenia kicked up towards Logan's face, but he deflected it with a raised arm, pushing her to the side with no effort.

"He doesn't like hurting people," McKenzie answered, her eyes momentarily flickering over to Noah to see his expression. "But he's especially gentle with us. I don't think he's ever hit us or so much as raise his voice at us," McKenzie added to her previous statement, her eyes going back to the fight. The Amazonian girl had a smirk on her face, landing another jab at Logan's face.

Noah ran a hand through his hair for a moment, speaking in a lower tone, "That mentality is going to get him killed." McKenzie's head whipped to look at Noah directly, her eyebrows furrowing. Noah continued talking, "You can't talk down a villain, you have to strike or you'll be attacked. Who is he helping if he's going easy on us during training?"

While the two were conversing, the sparring was coming to an end. After extending her arm to punch the older male in the face again, Logan had taken her arm in his grip, spinning her around and into a head lock. He released her almost instantly, smiling in her direction with a 'great job' congratulatory quip.

"Sometimes mercy is good," McKenzie finished the conversation, going quiet as both Yessenia and Logan joined them at the benches. Yessenia smiled at McKenzie as she greeted the shorter girl, a gleeful 'hey Mack!' leaving her mouth.

"You're a really good fighter Yes," Noah complimented, offering the girl her water bottle, which she had left with him. The necromancer's statement had not only been out of kindness, it had been the truth. The girl's training was almost flawless, her mastery of hand to hand combat surpassing the rest of the group's in Noah's opinion. Yessenia's balance of both skill and power made her a fierce fighter, and one that no one wanted to cross.

Yessenia finished her water, tossing the empty bottle back onto the bench. She smirked, "Well, Wonder Woman and Black Canary taught me well." It didn't take long for the team to have deduced Yessenia's heritage, as she was a proud Amazonian princess, her mother being Wonder Woman herself, as well as thrilled with her family ties with Black Canary.

McKenzie smiled at the mention of both Justice League members. "Well they should be really proud of you Yessenia!" McKenzie cheered, throwing out her hand for a high five with the other girl. With a cheerful grin, Yessenia collided hands with the older girl.

"Want to do a group simulation?" Yessenia asked the room's occupants devilishly. Yessenia met McKenzie's eyes, who then looked at Logan and finally Noah. Group simulations were a team favorite exercise for the group, so it was no surprise when they decided in favor for it.

* * *

"So how does this work?" Noah asked as he looked down at the tables ahead of him. The group had entered a different room in the base, one that sported advanced technology over an array of furniture. Victoria, pleased that she was able to be released from the medical bay to participate in a group simulation, laid down on one of the tables.

Victoria patted the slab next to her, inviting Noah to lay down on it as she explained. "It's a mental simulation. We are all connected to headsets which will display a certain scenario for us to overcome. The simulation doesn't end until we solve it," Victoria elucidated, laying back carefully as to not aggravate her thigh.

"Or die, that one is also an option," Yessenia added with a grin, poking Victoria in the ribs playfully. Noah's eyes went wide slightly at the passive reaction the rest of the team had at Yessenia's exclamation.

Logan spoke from his hunched over position, working on the head sets, "You don't actually die, Noah. Don't let them scare you." He finished configuring the last head set, before giving each team member one. Noah held his in his hands for a minute, reluctant to put it on his cranium.

McKenzie, from her table in between Noah's and Yessenia's, smiled reassuringly at Noah. "It's fun. You get to try new things without having any consequences. You'll love it," McKenzie eased, putting on the small head set over her dark brown hair. Noah followed her lead, still somewhat skeptical but trusting his new-found friend.

When the entire team had the head sets fashioned on, McKenzie turned to Logan in a questioning manner. "What simulation did you choose this time?" She asked, readjusting herself to lay on the table more comfortably.

"The Gotham City Bane simulation. I figured Noah would be more comfortable doing something he recognizes for his first scenario," Logan confessed, laying down as he talked. The room soon became dark after his words, enveloping the teens into their simulation.

* * *

 **Gotham City**

 **August 15, 2017**

 **13:14**

McKenzie peaked her head over the rafters, looking down onto the drug cartel occurring in the first level of the warehouse. She counted the guards she spotted, coming up with a little over a dozen, not to mention Bane, who overlooked the room. McKenzie looked back towards her team mates.

Victoria aimed her crossbow against her propped up knee, whispering to the group softly, "I don't have a clear shot. Any ideas on what to do?" Her eyes went to Noah, who besides her, knew of Gotham City's terrain. His face scrunched up in periodical thought.

"If we rush it we will out matched," Noah informed her, in a whisper just as soft as hers. The group remained silent as they watched the delivery unfold below them.

McKenzie tugged on Noah's sleeve to get his attention. "One of us could booby trap the boxes with motion sensed bombs. It'll take out a lot of the hench men," McKenzie strategized. Noah and Victoria met eyes, having a nonverbal debate over that idea. After getting a nod from Victoria, Noah slunk into the shadows, disappearing completely. Yessenia focused on the scene, attempting to hear Noah's movements.

She jumped slightly when the young bat reappeared at her side, his task completed. "After the bombs go off, one of us needs to go after Bane," Noah stated, implying that he be the one to confront the bulky Bane.

"Amazon Girl should be the one to confront Bane," Victoria argued against Noah's statement. Before he could retort, she interrupted him in a harsh whisper, "She has the lowest chance of being severely hurt if he hits her." Noah, although offended at his team mate's lack of trust in him, remained quiet. "The rest of us will occupy the hench men."

Almost instantly, the bombs rattled off, taking out 1/3 of the guards in the warehouse. McKenzie took a deep breath before jumping down into the scene, her legs being replaced by a tail midair. She landed on top of a goon, her tail pinning his arms to his sides and forcing him to drop his gun. When the weapon clattered to the floor noisily, she flipped his body over and onto the floor. When she unraveled herself from the man, another guard ran up behind and held her still.

"Big mistake," the half-serpent smirked, excreting a dosage of non-lethal poison through her skin. After the venom coursed through him for half a minute, he collapsed on the floor in a twitching heap. McKenzie took the time to see what her team mates were doing, looking to see if anyone needed help.

Victoria and Logan had double teamed against a small group of weaponized goons, both standing back to back with their own weapons raised. Victoria's crossbow was loaded with arrows, shooting down attackers quickly and efficiently, whereas Logan wielded a bo staff, stunning his opponents. McKenzie's eyes danced to where Noah was, the boy slinking into and out of shadows from all over the room, using his opponents' confusion over his location against them.

Yessenia, playful as always, taunted Bane. "Is that the best you can do?" She teased, a grin crossing her face. The Amazonian ducked a punch directed at her before propelling herself up to uppercut the villain. The attack forced Bane to stumble back greatly, annoying the venom-filled man. Yessenia drew her sword from its position on her hip, her finger tips gracing her lasso as she did so.

"Pest," Bane insulted in a loud voice, charging towards Yessenia. McKenzie glided closer to the action, unaware of her surroundings. Rope clad men grabbed McKenzie, stopping her from entering the fight with Yessenia and Bane.

Yessenia flew over Bane, cutting the tubes connected to his head. With a cry, the venom leaked out of the man, and McKenzie watched as he withered away to a smaller version of himself. Yessenia allowed herself to celebrate, a proud and triumph smile on her face.

A loud beep sounded before the room started filling with a green and thick gas, surprising Yessenia, and causing her to look down at Bane, who held a trigger in his hand. With a smile, he revealed the drug that was being smuggled, "Scarecrow asked me to protect his shipment. Sweet dreams, pests."

McKenzie watched as all of her team mates collapsed on the ground, her unable to prevent them from the nightmarish fate. The serpent jerked herself free from her captors before rushing over to her nearest friend, who happened to be Noah. She gripped onto him tightly as his body convulsed, trying to hold him still and calm him. Even though the young serpent was immune to all toxins and poisons, she gasped in pain before falling down near Noah.

McKenzie woke up, her vision blurry as she struggled to open her eyes. Panic set in when she realized she was bound in a wooden chair, her team mates surrounding her in similar predicaments. McKenzie surveyed them all for injuries as they slowly came to, each becoming startled when they woke up.

Noah struggled against the rope holding him still for a moment, mimicking McKenzie's higher set voice, " _It's fun_ she said _you'll love it_ she said." During his reenactment of her earlier simulation persuasion, McKenzie wasn't sure if she should feel slightly offended or humored; however, when he looked at her with a slight smile, she chose the latter. The bat quickly got to work with cutting his rope with a sharpened batarang.

"What happened?" Yessenia asked in a confused manner, using her sword to copy Noah's escape.

"An anomaly with the program," Logan informed her, using a hidden knife to cut his rope. "Scarecrow must have been added to our scenario by mistake." His ropes had fallen and he soon made his way over to McKenzie, cutting her rope swiftly.

Victoria stood out of her chair after using a metal tipped arrow to cut herself free. "What does that mean for us?" She asked.

The room they were in was small, the ceiling, walls and floor imitating an old, fallen down shack. After the last person stood up from the wooden chairs they were previously seated in, the group huddled together closely, staring down a lone door at the front.

"Well," McKenzie started, taking a break in her sentence to look at her team mates, "It means that our scenario just got a little scarier." The small seventeen-year-old girl walked slowly up to the door, taking the door knob in her hand. Her team followed behind her cautiously, arms up in defense as she opened the door. The room inside was pitch black, but it didn't stop the members from entering, unaware of what was going to happen.

* * *

 **McKenzie**

McKenzie walked into the room last, following her team mates closely. When the entire team had taken a couple of steps inside, the scene in front of them started changing drastically from its previous darkness. The team had found themselves back inside the warehouse, watching the scenario unfold from a third person point of view. The difference between the simulated mission and the room was a missing McKenzie.

The young serpent, who had previously been with her friends watching the scene, found herself reliving it once more for the second time that night. This time around however, the hench men who had tied her up were gone, and McKenzie was able to run into the fight with Yessenia and Bane.

"I got your back," McKenzie called as she stood next to Yessenia, a smile on her face. She was grateful that she was able to erase her earlier mistake of being captured. As Bane charged the duo, Yessenia flew up again, taking a hold of McKenzie in one of her hands. Bane was quick in reflex as he snatched McKenzie out of the air by her leg, pulling her into his grip and placing her in a head lock.

Yessenia dropped to the ground, her shield and sword up. "Let her go," she spat.

From their position in the third person point of view, the group conversed. "Are we getting redoes on our mistakes of the scenario?" Noah asked, still confused by the group simulation rules. Victoria shook her head as she replied in a perplexed manner.

"We never have before," the Italian retorted, walking farther into the scene to witness the change of events. McKenzie didn't notice her present team mates, looking past them as if they were invisible.

Bane smirked, crushing McKenzie in his arms painfully as he pushed her deeper in his chest. McKenzie excreted her venom, as she often would, but it only caused the villain to chortle. "Your venom is nothing compared to the one already coursing through my system," he boomed, his thick Santa Prisca accent lacing his words. He glared at Yessenia, who was preparing herself for combat.

Unfazed by the man's glare, Yessenia ran up to him, her sword raised. She used the sharp tip to slash at the man's arms, hoping that it would persuade him to release McKenzie, but instead he chuckled at the action in a bored manner. He seized her sword without hitch, turning it against its wielder. The team's eyes went wide as the Gotham resident plunged the sword through Yessenia, a gasp escaping her lips.

"No!" McKenzie shrieked, thrashing about in the man's arms even more. The man tossed McKenzie into Yessenia's bleeding form.

"That is your fault," Bane sneered, bending down to McKenzie's level. "If you were better she would not have had to save you." The girl hugged Yessenia's lifeless body into her chest, sobs racking her body violently.

The living Yessenia watched, tears clouding her own eyes as she watched her friend wail into her corpse. "I-" Yessenia stammered, bringing her hand up to cover her mouth. The girl, for once, was at a loss for words. Even though it was futile, Yessenia rushed up to the girl, trying to show McKenzie that she was alive and that her nightmare hadn't been real.

Yessenia ran through the girl, her arms not wrapping themselves around the older girl as planned. She dropped to her knees beside McKenzie, her friend's sobs damaging her. "I am so sorry, Yes," McKenzie apologized, hiccupping through her words. The girl's usually pale face was now red, her swollen cheeks stained with tears. "I didn't mean to do this to you." Yessenia's lip quivered at not being able to hold her distraught friend.

"It's okay McKenzie, it isn't your fault," Yessenia cooed softly, her own tears falling down her face. Before this, the Amazon had not fully comprehended how important she was to the serpent girl. Yessenia bowed her head down, trying to hide her tears, embarrassed that she was distraught with McKenzie's hell.

McKenzie, with Yessenia's blood covering her front, brought up a shaking hand to wipe away her tears. The mangled corpse of Yessenia laid still in the girl's lap, ignoring the upcoming panic attack that McKenzie was to have. The hiccups returned as McKenzie once again apologized to her deceased friend, her shudders violent.

"I never meant to hurt you," McKenzie wallowed, her body now rocking back and forth slightly, her hands clutching her head. The blood that had been on the girl's hands had now caked itself into McKenzie's coffee colored hair. "Why did I try to save you? I'm not a hero!" The girl nearly shrieked. Her shaking had become so profound that the team was sure that a low-grade earth quake would resonate the same.

The repetition of her last phrase haunted the team, the words, "I'm not a hero!" echoing in the eerie room. Her words eventually stopped, the girl's panic attack resulting in labored breaths and harsh panting. Noah and Victoria, ignoring the fact they couldn't assist the sweet girl, had tried directing her out of her panic, while Yessenia had buried herself into Logan's chest, her arms wrapping around his waist tightly.

After McKenzie's tears subsided, the bloody girl stood up, Yessenia's body cradled in her arms. Tears still fell down her cheeks, her eyes blood shot and swollen. "I am so sorry," McKenzie apologized for the last time, placing a tender kiss on Yessenia's temple. After her lips left the corpse, Yessenia's body began to fade away from the scene, leaving a dazed McKenzie to look for it.

Her eyes went wide as she saw Yessenia, who had separated herself from Logan long enough to see the ending of the ghoulish horror. McKenzie rushed into Yessenia's arms, practically crushing the Amazonian girl in her grip. New tears sprung from McKenzie's eyes as she kept reassuring herself that it was indeed her 'deceased' friend she was holding.

"I am so sorry," McKenzie repeated. Yessenia held McKenzie, her hand cradling the back of the girl's head, sweet whispers escaping her. The team allowed them to have their moment, not wanting to interrupt their reunion. "I thought you died because of me," the girl whispered. As she spoke, the room fell black once more, a new door appearing.

Yessenia didn't let go of the girl completely as they parted, her hand clutching onto the older girl's as if her life depended on it. McKenzie recollected herself, her shudders slowly and her tears drying up, before the team continued into the next room.

"Whatever happens," Yessenia started, taking a hold of Victoria's hand in her free one, "We do it together." The girls all nodded with one another, before following the boys in the new room.

* * *

 **Victoria**

As the team entered the new room, an invisible force blocked them at the entrance, save for Victoria who walked ahead with mirages in their likeness. Unable to propel themselves forward, they watched Victoria's fears unfold.

Yessenia snatched her hand away from Victoria's, ending the reassuring grip she had. "So who's fear is next?" Victoria asked awkwardly, her hands now wringing ahead of her. She wouldn't admit it, but the lack of human contact made her anxiety increase, the feeling of being alone overwhelming her senses.

"I don't know, maybe yours," Noah guessed, not making eye contact with the Huntress trainee. He stopped, allowing himself to ponder for a moment, "But then again, can you actually have a fear if you're the team's leader?" He cackled for a moment, elbowing Victoria in her ribs painfully.

Victoria chewed on her lip, the bottom half resting in between her upper and lower jaw. She played with her fingers as they continued their walk down the long and narrow black hallway. "Would it not be right if I was scared of some things?" She asked in a hypothetical manner. Logan clapped her on the back as he rushed to walk alongside her.

In his faint New Yorker accent, he answered her question, "Only bad leaders have fears. When I was the leader of the team, I never showed any weakness, unlike you." Victoria stopped walking, her jaw unhinging herself in surprise. Even the group behind the invisible barricade were shocked at the words the mirage was saying.

Victoria stammered almost lamely, "I don't have any weaknesses." The argument came out weak, a watery break in her words. "I'm a good leader, you said so yourself yesterday." The teenage girl looked up at the taller man with sadness etched into her eyes.

The mirage of Logan chuckled gruesomely, "You thought I was being honest?! You ran into that mission without thinking of the consequences! Noah got hurt and you had to be bailed out by Yessenia!" With each word he spat, Victoria's confidence shrank.

The Italian kept quiet at his outburst, working of a comeback internally. Truth be told though, she felt too betrayed to really conjure an intelligent reply back. Tears pricked the corners of her eyes.

"What are _you_ crying for? _I_ was the one who got shot!" Noah exclaimed, raising his arm up as if to show for his statement. The blood from his wound was there again, pouring down his arm heavily, unlike during the mission. Victoria wiped furiously at her eyes, forcing herself to stand up in confidence.

"Fuck you both, I thought you two were nice," Victoria insulted, hands on her hips. Her voice faltered for a moment, before gaining her confidence once more. She jabbed into Noah's chest painfully, "And I got shot too, you asshole." Noah pushed her finger away, before shoving her into Yessenia and McKenzie, who were walking behind the two.

McKenzie forced Victoria away from her, disgust written across her face. "Don't be mean to Noah, at least he knows how to not be rash all the damn time," McKenzie taunted evilly. Victoria fixed her posture once more, refusing to allow herself to show any weakness to the now judgmental team.

"What has gotten into you guys?" Victoria questioned, the anger replacing itself with concern. Even though her team mates were acting rude, Victoria still cared for them deeply.

From behind the barricade, the team all looked onto the scene sadly. "Do you think she's projecting her feelings of herself into us?" Noah asked the group, a care filled tone wrapping around his words. If there was one thing the boy understood, it was distaste for himself, similar to the one Victoria held.

McKenzie, who was still sniffling from her own nightmare, retorted, "She's not the most confident sometimes," McKenzie admitted, sympathetic for the insecure girl. She knew that the words her doppelganger was spitting out venomously never even occurred in McKenzie's mind, which only assured her that the girl thought this of herself.

Logan brought a hand up to his neck, rubbing at the area. "I should have helped her out with her leadership more. I didn't want her feeling this overwhelmed and negative about herself," the boy muttered, aghast that Victoria could ever believe so poorly of herself.

Yessenia's doppelganger rolled her eyes, pushing past Victoria's open and caring stature to walk ahead of her. "Yeah, we are fine. We are allowed to be upset with you, you know," Yessenia sassed, "After all, Scarecrow wouldn't have gotten the drop on us if you came up with a plan for the simulation."

Victoria felt her heart ache harrowingly, slowing the girl's steps. It was getting harder and harder for her to remain confident and strong while her team mates chastised her for her transgressions. They walked on ahead of her, not caring for her wellbeing. "Okay, I'm sorry," she apologized, hoping it would stop her friends from railing at her.

McKenzie turned around, stomping her foot on the ground angrily like a child. Her previously tear struck face was replaced by one red and hot with anger. "I'm going to have the mental image of Yessenia dying forever because of you, and all you can say is you're sorry?!" The girl yelled in a bewildered manner. Victoria's eyebrows shot up, shock coursing through her.

"After this simulation, we are going to vote for a new leader," Noah reprimanded. He continued his harsh speech, "Maybe we should fire Victoria while we are at it. She's more trouble than she is worth." Victoria's sadness was quickly replaced with anger, shoving Noah painfully into the wall next to them.

She pressed onto his collar bone with her forearm. "You don't even know me, Noah, so back off. You're not any better than me just because you work with the Bat family!" She hissed, lashing out on the newest team member. She was ripped off of him by Yessenia, her glare solid. "And you're supposed to be my best friend!" She snapped.

Yessenia shoved Victoria to the ground, looming over her. "That's because I felt sorry for you! Who wouldn't be sorry for the girl who has a pothead father?" Victoria's eyebrows furrowed and her mouth fell open. Without hesitation, she tackled the girl to the floor. She raised his fist to punch her so-called best friend, but before she could, Logan stopped her.

"This isn't what leaders do, they don't lose their cool!" He snapped bitterly. Victoria's hand went limp at his words, using his arm to help herself off the girl. She looked down at Yessenia with a disheartened gaze, unable to form a proper apology. The younger girl muttered a basic apology, wrapping herself in her own arms, protecting herself from anything else the group could say to her.

As soon as the apology left her mouth, the invisible barrier separating the team and Victoria was lifted, and the group ran out towards the insecure girl. The sound of their footsteps behind her gained Victoria's attention, her head whipping back.

"How much of that did you hear?" She asked pitifully, clutching at her arms tighter. At the sight of her rushing team members, she quickly pieced together that the entrance to the room had been her nightmare, but it didn't stop her from feeling embarrassed. The team remained silent, causing the girl to sigh out. "That's okay, if you didn't think I was weak before, you do now."

Logan, always gentle and reassuring, placed a hand on her shoulder. "We don't think you're weak, Tori," he said, but the girl bowed her head in shame anyways. He lowered himself to look her in the eyes, a little set back by the insecurity flowing in her gaze. Without hesitation, he enveloped her in a hug. At first, the girl didn't return it, still horror struck at the vulnerability that she showed her team mates, but soon hugged him back.

"Guys, I don't mean to be a dick and ruin the moment," Noah started, "But we reached our next destination." His hand moved up to open the next door.

* * *

 **Noah**

Noah shrunk in the darkness at the next scene displayed before the team, recognizing the coven as one from his childhood. He glanced back at his team mates briefly, knowing that in a matter of seconds they would disappear from his view.

What happened next surprised him, as his birth family wasn't the one to greet him in his old childhood home, but his new one. Jason walked up to him, a frown adoring his rugged face as he grabbed onto Noah's shoulders tightly, forcing him inside the house.

The team followed the two, surprised to see a young girl standing next to Jason once they were inside. "Firecracker?" Noah questioned, his face scrunching up in confusion. Jason pushed him in her direction, and the young necromancer fell to his knees in front of his girlfriend. The tall, tanned girl glared down at Noah, who clumsily stood back on his feet.

'Firecracker' took a step away from him, her face expressing a mixture of fear and disgust. He brought his hand out, wanting to envelope her in his arms and tell her how much he misses her presence. She flinched away from Noah, causing the boy's face to fall in betrayal.

"What's going on?" Noah asked, crossing his arms across his chest to shield himself from the two who admired the most. The two looked down at him disdainfully, ignoring the pounding on the door. Noah's heart rate quickened in panic. "Charlotte? Jason? Please tell me what's going on," Noah begged.

He reached out once more to touch his girlfriend. "Noah, please…" She whispered in tearful eyes, lowering his arms back to his sides. The pounding at the door got louder, the wood splintering away. "I don't think I could live with myself knowing that I love a monster," her words were like daggers to Noah, who's eyes instantly pricked with unshed tears. "You… you killed Alfred, Noah."

Noah gasped, his eyes wide in shock, before they glanced at his two hands through his blurred vision. He promised himself that he would never hurt anybody, but here he was, killing those closest to him. At the mention of the lovable butler's name, Noah collapsed to his knees.

The front door's wooden frame became cracked, revealing an angry mob of people standing behind it and trying to break the door down. "Monster!" Parts of the mob yelled bitterly, while others settled for "Murderer", "Freak", or "Devil". Noah blinked rapidly, trying to clear his head from his childhood memories of the cult who had busted down his family's home, but it was no use.

The necromancer turned to his adopted father, tears springing from his eyes. "What are they going to do to me?" He asked the older man, attempting to act brave in front of his mentor. Jason stood over him, bending down to pick him up by his hair. He dragged the boy near the hidden team, who pressed themselves against the door to make sure no one got into the home.

"I am sorry," Charlotte called from her place across the room, burying her face in her hands. Noah wanted nothing more but to hold his girlfriend tightly as she cried, but knew it was better if he didn't. After all, he was the one who hurt the only person who ever truly loved.

Jason opened the door, the door phasing through the team effortlessly. The mob outside ran in, revealing themselves to be in some sort of cult. One of them shrieked 'check for the mark', resulting in multiple offenders trying to remove Noah's shirt.

Noah attempted to break free from their grip, but there were too many of them for him to overpower. Soon enough, Noah's shirt had been removed, revealing the 'mark' the cult was searching for. It had been clear as day on Noah's stomach, the black curved cross revealing himself as a necromancer.

"Kill him!" The leader of the cult ordered, holding no regard for the child. Noah looked up at Jason and Charlotte with pleading eyes, hoping that they would end his nightmare. The team attempted to fight the cult members, but each strike and attack on went through them, their efforts proving futile.

McKenzie shuddered in her place, wondering if this was the near-death experience Noah was petrified of as the cult dragged him out of the house, ignoring his cries and claims for love for both Jason and Charlotte. "Leave him alone!" McKenzie pleaded on deaf ears, horrified for her friend's wellbeing. Noah was thrown lazily onto a town square, the cult picking up stones and pelting the defenseless boy with them.

Noah shielded his face with his arms, rolling up his knees into his chest. The team stood in front of the town, attempting to be hit with the rocks instead of the smallest member, but once more, the weapons flew through them, hitting the boy violently.

Soon enough the stones turned intangible as the scene faded away. Noah, who was mostly unhurt save for a few minor cuts and bruises, rolled out of his ball, and sat up. He brought his knees up to his chest as his team sat around him, scrutinizing the numb looking boy.

"Was-Was this a memory?" McKenzie asked, her eyes focusing on a bruise forming on the boy's arm. Noah sighed as he stood up, wanting the attention off of him immediately.

He winced as he stood up, putting more of his weight on his uninjured leg. "No, it's just a fear," he replied coolly, already looking for the next door that would shoot past his fear and onto the next team member. Victoria grabbed his hand gently, forcing him to stop his limp. His eyes softened at the concern edge to her gaze. "My fear is based on a memory I had when I was a kid, but it wasn't me that was getting attacked, it was my parents," Noah revealed, bringing his hand up to touch his swollen cheek.

"I'm so sorry," Yessenia sympathized, standing up so she could be near Noah. She placed a ginger and tender hand on his shoulder, afraid that if she hugged him it would hurt him. Noah looked down at the ground. "You're not what they said either, No. You're not a monster or freak because you're a necromancer," Yessenia soothed, biting at the corner of her lip.

Victoria perked up from her position, standing up to join them. "If anything, it makes you cool and mysterious. Girls like cool and mysterious," Victoria cheered him up with a slight wink. Noah smiled shyly, sending them both grateful looks.

Noah rubbed at his arm, attempting to soothe the pain. The door revealed itself next to the group, and Noah gripped the door knob tighter than he previously did. He glanced at his team mates, before muttering, "Alright, three down and two more to go."

* * *

 **Yessenia**

This time when the group entered the room, they were quickly separated. As soon as Yessenia stepped foot into the next nightmare, she was grabbed by a group of masked men, who bound her with power reducing wire. Yessenia struggled against the wire, which cut into her skin uncomfortably.

"What's happening?" McKenzie asked in fear, remembering her own nightmare which also included a defenseless Yessenia. The group remained quiet as Aries stepped into view of the Amazon girl, the glowing armor lighting the darkened room.

Yessenia sneered when she saw the villain, her capture finally making sense to the young girl. "Aries," The girl greeted coldly, "What do you want?" The team could only applaud the girl's fearlessness in the face of the God of War.

"I don't want you, you're only bait," Aries admitted, pacing the length of the small room. Yessenia was sure that underneath his cowl, the God held a triumphant smirk. Anxiety and fear filled her core, causing the girl to struggle again.

Yessenia bit back attitude, hoping that if she responded in a more heroic matter he would talk to her. "Bait for who?" She interrogated, her shoulders starting to bleed in the slightest from her struggles. She didn't need to wait for his response, voices coming from behind her. "Oh no," she whispered to herself, praying that Athena would guide her through this experience.

Her team mates busted into the room. Yessenia wouldn't have been nervous if Wonder Woman had joined them, as she knew the villain better than anyone, but the team stood alone and ignorant to the deadly ways of the god.

"No, guys. Don't come any closer!" Yessenia ordered, knowing that if she were bait than the room had to be trapped. Her stubborn team mates entered anyway as they surrounded her seated position, hands flying to untie the girl. "Guys stop!" Yessenia begged before any of them could officially grab at the wire.

Victoria looked at her with concern filled eyes, "Don't worry Yes, we will get you back home in no time." As the Italian spoke, she disregarded Yessenia's pleas and grabbed at the wire wrapping itself around her frame. The wire zapped dangerously, sending a high voltage through Victoria's body.

Yessenia thrashed in her seat as her friend collapsed to the ground, her body convulsing with electricity before laying limp on the ground. "No!" The Amazon girl cried, tears leaking from her eyes. "Is she-?" The start of her question was answered as the EMT brought his fingers to Victoria's neck.

"Her heart stopped," Logan informed the group, dropping to his knees. Yessenia cried as he performed CPR to her friend, but she knew it was no use.

Aries reappeared out of the shadows for a brief moment to survey the dead girl, before faltering back into the darkness. "Two can play at the shadow game," Noah smirked, his body slinking into the shadows.

From her seat, Yessenia could hear her new team mate being harassed by Wonder Woman's fiercest villain; however, she couldn't see their fight or provide any aid for the boy. A crack interrupted Yessenia's calls, stunning her into silence in confusion, before Noah's body was thrown in front of her, his neck bent at an awkward angle.

Yessenia screamed in fright, guilt over whelming her. "No! Everybody get out of here!" She begged. McKenzie looked down at Noah, her eyes going wide as blood trickled out of his mouth, pooling underneath his head. The older girl spared a glance at Yessenia, before running into the abyss. "No, Mack! Please!" The girl's tears became evident on her face, the once chilled girl screaming. Deep in her mind, she knew that it was only a simulation, but having to witness her greatest fear petrified her.

The team watched in their third person point of view for the fourth time. Watching one of their team mates die was horrifying, but watching all of them die was traumatizing. "Is Aries really that bad?" Victoria asked, a hand covering her horrified expression.

"He's the God of War," Noah informed her, his eyes scrutinizing the damage Yessenia was giving herself by rubbing against the metal wiring. Her shoulders were already cut and bleeding, but her obsessive want to be free resulted in her upper arms and forearms to be cut as well. "Stop struggling mate, it'll be over soon," Noah said, head down in sorrow.

Yessenia knew the fighting had stopped after quietness creeped into the dark room, yet she couldn't find any sign of McKenzie or Aries. She knew it was childish for her to be afraid of the dark, but it didn't help her when she knew that her friend lay dead in it.

"Please, Logan, get out of here before he kills you too," Yessenia cried out hoarsely. But the boy paid no attention to her pleas, Logan still attempting to revive Victoria. "Watch out!" Yessenia warned, Aries looming over the significantly smaller boy. Yessenia watched on in terror as one of Aries' sword pierced into Logan's back, slicing him open.

Aries turned to the girl, walking towards her. "You've been very helpful, Yessenia, but I'm afraid it's your time to join your dead sisters," Aries rasped as he brought his sword up, bringing it down at into Yessenia's stomach.

The girl gasped out of instinct, but before the sword could truly plunge into her, it became intangible, as did the rest of the scene. Yessenia stood up quickly, ignoring her injuries as dropped down to look at her friends' corpses. "Fucking idiots," she hiccupped as she pushed aside Victoria's hair from her face, mourning the girl.

Victoria's lifeless eyes stared up at the girl, taunting her. Yessenia took a shaky breath in as she closed her friend's eyes, tears escaping her own. She had been weak and allowed for this to happen to her friends. It was her fault that the team had risked their lives. It was _her_ fault that the team had _died._

The group slowly moved into Yessenia's view, reminding the girl of their shared experience. She stood up quickly, rushing towards them, grateful that they were still alive. "I swear if I am ever kidnapped in real life and you come looking for me, I will send Hippolyta after you!" Yessenia threatened lamely, cramming both the reappeared McKenzie and Victoria in a bone crushing hug. When they parted, the next door appeared. Logan looked towards the group, taking a deep breath in before opening the last door.

* * *

 **Logan**

The team found themselves cramped up into a small bedroom, surprising them for what was to come. The scene before them looked sweet, Logan reading a book to a little girl, who leaned up against him as they laid in bed, her eyes tired and drooping.

"He looks really happy," Yessenia cooed nicely, her eyes soft at the paternal side to the eldest boy. She knew that the sweet scene would soon turn nightmarish, just as all of theirs had, but it didn't stop her from trying to look for the positives.

The girl's eyes reopened harshly as a glass vase shattered outside of the room, her gaze going up to Logan. "It's okay, it's probably dad," Logan eased her, standing up and handing her the book. "Stay here until I come get you, okay?" Logan ordered in a nice tone. The girl only nodded in reply, watching as her older brother left the room. The team followed behind quickly, all stumbling out into a hallway.

The team watched Logan interact with a much larger man, guessing him to be the eldest's father. "You're drunk," Logan snapped, his arms crossed as he stared up at a burly man, who had tipped over the table near the team. "You can't keep doing this to your family. Katie's becoming scared of you and mom-" Logan was cut short as the man pushed him into the wall, not harshly but not gentle either.

"Your mother, who won't even love me anymore?" The man questioned, completing his son's sentence. Logan smelt the mix of alcohol on the man's breath as he neared closer to the boy's face, paralyzing him from moving. Logan stood against his father, the older man bringing his hand up under the boy's shirt.

Logan tried pushing him away gently, his eyes looking down in shame and embarrassment. "Not tonight, I just put Katie to sleep-" Once again he was interrupted by the grown man, who had viciously ripped off the boy's shirt and thrown it over his shoulder.

"Would you rather I be doing this to her?" The man slurred. Logan shook his head curtly, shaking underneath his father's touch. He looked limp and lifeless as the drunk man had locked lips with the boy, before pulling apart from Logan to undress him more.

Noah stood, anger coursing through his veins. Living on the street for a long time had taught the young bat what rape was, but this was on a new level of morally fucked. He closed his eyes tightly, not able to watch what was to happen next, but knowing deep down what is was.

Noah was forced to look when the drunken man punched the wall next to Logan's head loudly. "This isn't working for me anymore," the drunk slurred again, letting go of Logan who now stood in his boxers. The team stood horror struck at the sexual abuse, unable to properly react; however, they joined Logan's upset yells as the man stumbled over to his little sister's room.

"Don't you fucking dare," Logan growled, anger bubbling within him. He pushed the man against the wall, rattling it loudly. "She's just a kid!" Logan reminded, before releasing his grip slowly. The man paid no attention to his son's warning as he opened the door anyway, entering the room. It didn't take long before the man staggered, Logan standing behind him with a broken baseball bat, one piece littering onto the floor.

"I've had enough of you," the man stumbled, charging into his smaller son as they both collided into the wall. The drunk coughed roughly, looking down at his stomach in pain, which held the sharpened and splintered end of the baseball bat, impaling him. Logan looked up at his dad with wide eyes, his hands instantly letting the weapon go, although the scene had already began materializing before the group's eyes.

* * *

The group awakened with a start, each sitting up on the slabs they had laid down on hours earlier. Noah looked over at Logan, speaking softly. "Was that a memory?" A brief and subtle nod. "Did you kill him?" Another nod. Noah stood up from his slab, his hands shaking. Morally, he knew both was wrong. The no killing rule was one popularized by the bat family and installed into Noah's belief system, but the rape? That moral was instilled into Noah before them.

"I think we should take a few days off," Victoria suggested, looking around her broken team mates, who had all lived through their worst fear. She knew that nothing was more horrifying than the vulnerability that the group shared with one another today.

With quiet stares all around the group, the teens departed from the room in their own directions, probably towards their rooms. Noah looked back at the group, deciding that going to Gotham was the best place for him, away from the new team.

* * *

 **As always, let me know what you guys think. If anybody needs to talk about the trigger warning topics, I'll happily listen.**


	5. Chapter 5

**Gotham City**

 **August 22, 2017**

 **22:34**

The two teens sat on the couch in the warehouse's living room, cuddling with one another as they waited for the return of Jason, Noah's adopted father. It had become tradition, for some unknown reason, for the three to watch horror movies while eating dinner, and tonight was no exception as the duo waited on the man's return from his pizza run. _Because who in their right mind would deliver a pizza to an 'unoccupied' warehouse near the docks,_ Noah thought humorously as he leaned closer into Charlotte's touch.

Noah wrapped a tender arm around his girlfriend's shoulders, bringing the young empath closer into the smaller boy's chest. He mused happily as their breathing synchronized as she lay against him, but the happiness was short lived when she looked up at him with a glare. "What aren't you telling me?" She questioned him, breaking out of his grip.

The boy would normally smile at the girl's antics, but he decided, for once, that coming clean about his troubled mind would be better for the both of them. "Lotte," Noah began as he adjusted himself on the couch, "I don't know how I'm supposed to go back to the team after that fear simulation." His confession caused Charlotte's eyes to soften in sympathy, and she laid back against him for his comfort. When he had first returned to Gotham, he had confided in her about the planned scenario, but not to any extent besides his own hellish nightmare.

"You have to go back at some point. It's been a week," Charlotte pointed out, her tone caring. "Of course, I don't mind seeing you around Gotham, but we both know that until you confront your team about your fear you won't ever truly recover." Charlotte's advice was sound, yet that wasn't what Noah was dreading. He had made peace with what had happened to him nearly twenty minutes after it occurred; he _was_ a bat after all, but it was what he witnessed with the others that still shocked him.

Noah played with Charlotte's black locks of hair as he spoke, "It isn't my fear that's holding me back from the team. I-" The necromancer took another awkward pause, "I don't know how to react to seeing my team mates' fears. I don't think I could ever forget seeing the broken and insecure being of Victoria," Noah muttered. At the point, the boy had broken away from his girlfriend, and was now leaning on the edge of the couch, his head in his hands.

Charlotte took a hold of her smaller boyfriend's fore arm, her touch kind. "You don't have to forget it. You have to learn to grow from it, and help her into a better mind set of herself," Charlotte advised. The room remained silent for a while, the clock ticking in the background quietly.

"What about McKenzie's and Yessenia's fears about them being the cause of someone's death?" Noah continued, almost flustered at this point as he recollected what happened, "Or the fact that Logan killed his dad after being sexually abused for years?" Noah wasn't sure if he was angry or distraught, and he settled on believing it was a mixture of the two raw emotions. The young empath felt the gross combination, bile rising in her throat at her boyfriend's pain.

Charlotte listened intently as he continued pouring out his confusion. "I live by a strict 'no killing' rule, but there isn't _anything_ I hate more than abuse. I'm at a crossroads on how to feel and how to react," Noah's admittance was tough for Charlotte, as she had felt as if she too were experiencing his current frustrations.

She pulled him into a side hug, her hand cradling the back of his head as his face fell into her shoulder. "You can have your morals, Noah, but at the end of the day what does your heart believe?" Noah groaned, half at the fact he knew she was correct and half at how cliché and sappy she sounded. Before she could continue her soap box monologue, Jason entered through the warehouse's side door.

"You little shits better come get your slices now, I already ate half of one box on my way back," Jason called into the 'home', dropping the delivery in the kitchenette. The two teens offered each other one last look, before standing up to start their tradition. Jason, with another pizza slice in his mouth, grumbled, "And no more Friday the 13th you assholes."

Noah gathered up his food and drinks, a teasing tone laced in his voice, "It's not our fault your shticks already been done." Charlotte cackled, the ever-long joke of the brought-back-to-life Jason from the horror movies still providing her with laughs.

Jason glared towards his ward's direction, the look menacing to every non-bat to receive it; however, Noah simply chuckled once more, making his way towards the living room again to start their movie. As they sipped on their sodas and ate their pizzas somewhat greedily, their horrifying film begun, opening up to the iconic 'Nightmare on Elm Street' scene.

* * *

 **Mount Justice**

 **August 22, 2017**

 **23:15**

"I fucking hate you," Yessenia snapped, her grip on the Xbox controller tightening. Victoria's grin only spread further across her face, her expression being both triumphed and thrilled for yet another victory in the two's video game session. Victoria dropped her controller on the table in front of them, similar in the fashion of 'dropping the mic'.

Victoria turned to her friend, her grin widening even further when the Amazonian tackled her against the couch, her fists aimed high to execute playful blows against the Italian. Their cackling disrupted McKenzie, who had been reading in the arm chair near them. "Guys, be careful," McKenzie warned, half concerned that their roughhousing would soon become too rough. The two girls separated, each wheezing out their own chuckles of glee.

In reality though, McKenzie couldn't be more thrilled that the two seemed to be recovering from their simulation experiences, the base becoming a happier place to reside in once more. Before today, the base had been cold, awkward, and stiff, as members struggled to meet the eyes of one another; each embarrassed in the own ways. After a session with Black Canary, much to Yessenia's joy, the team seemed to be doing much better.

 _Yessenia, normally ecstatic to be spending time with her Aunt Dinah, had recoiled into herself at the sight of the woman, who sat across from her in her make shift room at the base. The two were close, as the Amazonian princess kept close ties with her aunt and her second mentor, but it was awkward to talk to Dinah about what had happened. "Remember when I was first teaching you how to control your canary scream?" Dinah had asked her, her leather jacket draping over her legs. "You demanded that I stopped helping you; that you were able to do it on your own. You told me that because you were an Amazon, you could do anything," the older woman smirked at the fond memory._

 _Yessenia chewed on the inside of her cheek, before continuing the tale. "And after I exclaimed that, you said to me 'it's okay to need help, you aren't exempt from difficult situations just because of who you are.'" Yessenia looked at the blonde with a small grin, opening up her position slightly._

 _"And then you allowed me to teach you how to harness your cry. My point is, Yes, is that it's still okay to need help, even if it's for a different thing," the older woman stood up, pushing her arms through the sleeves of her jacket before straightening it out. "You don't have to confide in me, but it's okay to open up to your team mates about how you feel," with her final addition to the speech, Dinah had kissed Yessenia on her forehead, before leaving the small space, leaving the Amazon to her thoughts._

Yessenia was almost guilty that the others did not get to experience Dinah's words of advice, knowing that each of the team members would greatly benefit from them. But after offering herself as a listening ear and being declined by the team, Dinah had left them to themselves until she was sure her services would be dire.

The Amazonian princess knew that Victoria's denial of help was unavoidable, as the team leader had a habit of bottling herself up and taking her frustrations out on the punching bag in the gym; however, she was surprised when McKenzie declined Dinah's aid as well, a short and simple answer of 'I'm okay' silencing the Justice League member.

Her eyes slid off of Victoria, the Amazon wiping at her eyes from the excessive laughter, and towards McKenzie, her nose still into her book. "How is it?" Yessenia asked politely, sitting back up into a more comfortable position. After seeing herself be mauled to death in McKenzie's nightmare, Yessenia had taken it upon herself to be even kinder to the girl, trying to include her into discuss now more than ever.

"It's a book about my dad," the demigod confessed, showing the cover towards the other two, the name 'Asclepius' written across it in gold lettering. "More specifically about the medical portion of his existence," the girl added, somewhat unsure if bringing up the topic of the medical profession would be a good idea.

Without batting an eyelash, Yessenia answered quickly, a smile on her face, "Are you studying to be a medic or something?" She chuckled at her own thought for a moment, before announcing it to the group, "God, the last thing we need are two of you worrywarts," Yessenia joked lightly, bringing the other two girls to sigh in relief that the topic wasn't still raw and touchy.

McKenzie giggled for a moment, shaking her head as she laughed. "No, I'm really only trying to learn about my dad, I've never met him," McKenzie admitted the reasoning for her interest. The half serpent wasn't bitter as most people would believe, as her love for her stepfather often filled the absent biological father's void.

Victoria, who had been previously occupied in her video game, chuckled. "Yeah, tell me about it. It wasn't until I was a teen that I found out that my real parents were Huntress and Question. Learning about your family is fun though," Victoria said earnestly, pausing her game to join the two's conversation.

Somewhere throughout their conversation, the Zeta-Tubes flared up, announcing the arrival of their team mate. The EMT had entered the living room quietly, a smile stretching across his face as he noticed the stiffness from the younger members had minimized greatly.

Victoria spotted him almost instantly, her smile increasing in size at the appearance of the eldest, who had been gone for the past three days. After the simulation, he had left the base to visit his younger sister and mother, something he hadn't done in the past two years. "How was Russia?" Victoria asked the half eastern Slavic. "Did you get-" Before she could finish her sentence, the boy had tossed her a DVD.

"You don't speak Russian so I don't know why you wanted a movie," Logan said, confusion laced within his accented voice, which was slightly more adenoidal from the disregard of English for his time away.

Victoria mused happily, popping in the disc into the video player. "I don't need to know how to speak Russian to know it's a cool mobster movie," Victoria talked, before sitting back down in her seat, her excitement dwindling slightly at the eeriness in the room. The silence that followed her was thick and awkward as the others avoided speaking of the simulation or of Russia. Both, she figured, would be bad topics to truly discuss with the only adult on the team.

Yessenia wasn't sure who felt more awkward in the room, the girls, or the lone boy, who probably now realized his mistake of returning to the states. Before he could leave the girls to themselves, Yessenia had stopped him, her hand out stretched to grab onto his bag. "Victoria might not care what they are saying, but I do. Mind translating?" She decided that ignoring what had happened would be in everyone's best interest, as she trusted that _if_ Logan wanted to talk about his father he _would._

The entire group knew that if she really cared about understanding the movie's dialogue, they could put on subtitles; the real reason she asked the medic to stay with them was that she had felt guilty. After the simulation, Noah had abandoned the group to return to Gotham while the others stayed to support one another.

 _That's to be expected though,_ Yessenia thought inwardly, _he just joined the team and hasn't had the time to really know us and trust us._ However, the 'support one another' had easily turned into a game of 'ignore each other', Logan delegating and helping out the younger team members to somewhat communicate with one another as they avoided the topic of the boy himself, which he was probably grateful for. Logan sat down next to Victoria, who eagerly awaited the movie's title screen.

The first scene opened up to show the teens the inside of a Slavic bar, which was empty save two occupants. The actor on screen aimed his gun at a tied-up victim, who shouted an angered, "Вам не избежать убийства!" before being shot, the blood splattering in the back ground almost comically. "He said 'you won't get away with killing me'," Logan translated to the girls, who were already engrossed into the movie.

* * *

 **Mount Justice**

 **August 23, 2017**

 **07:12**

Noah entered the base, his book bag slung across his back as he ventured in further. It was uncommon for someone to not greet him when he entered, the necromancer growing accustomed to the action. He stopped in his place for a moment, debating whether or not he should leave. Charlotte's voice nagged his thoughts, _listen to your heart,_ it repeated. With a deep exhale through his nose, Noah continued walking forward. When he made it into the living room, he saw his fellow team members all sleeping peacefully on the couches.

Yessenia and Victoria, unsurprisingly, had fallen asleep pressed against each other, Victoria's head resting on Yessenia's arm as the Amazon leaned against the arm rest almost uncomfortably. McKenzie had taken up the space on the arm chair, her body displayed neatly and comfortable, whereas Logan had fallen asleep sitting on the floor, his head resting back against the couch. The necromancer shook his head fondly at the sight.

 _Listen to your heart,_ Noah repeated to himself, finding comfort in his girlfriend's voice echoing throughout his head. Noah placed his bag on the floor quietly, before sitting down in an empty arm chair himself. He closed his eyes gingerly, the thoughts repetition assuring Noah that he made the right choice of joining his team once again.

After all, that what doesn't kill you simply makes you stronger. That mantra helped Noah decide that even though his beginning on the team didn't start out as smoothly as he would have wanted it to, it was still his beginning.

* * *

 **A/N: I know this chapter was short, but I felt that the shortness would be better than really going into detail right away. I'm trying to pace out the story so it would last longer. In case you haven't noticed yet on the blog, I have posted a challenge for you all as well as a gift! I hope you enjoy it! But, as always, I have some questions that I want to ask you guys:**

 **1\. Now that you have found out more about the characters, who do you feel your character would get along best with? (And it doesn't have to be a relationship I already established, such as Victoria and Yessenia.)**

 **2\. Do you like the idea of flash backs occurring in the story?**

 **3\. What do you think your character's theme song would be? (This is mainly so I can listen to it while writing about them.)**


	6. Chapter 6

**Mount Justice**

 **August 23, 2017**

 **11:16**

McKenzie stirred in her seat, a pressing pain aching at her neck. With her eyes fluttering open lazily, she surveyed the lounge which her team had accidentally fallen asleep in, spotting the newest member. "Hey Noah," she greeted in a somewhat surprised tone. The demigod had assumed that the necromancer had quit the team after his terrible first week, so his presence was even better now that he chose to stay.

The boy smiled lightly, speaking in a whisper as to not disturb those still sleeping. "Hey Mack, how did you sleep?" He genuinely asked, tucking his phone into his pocket.

McKenzie's eyebrows furrowed as she started stretching her sore joints. "I slept okay," she said, stifling a tired yawn behind her hand. She made eye contact with the teen and, almost instantly, sensed the awkwardness flooding through his blue eyes as he pondered what to say next. McKenzie took this opportunity to speak her thoughts aloud, with a quiet and direct, "We thought you quit."

He blinked slowly at her assumption, a hand wavering through his dark hair. "I thought about it," he revealed through a deep-rooted sigh. He wouldn't lie to the half serpent, especially since, as far as he knew, she was nothing but completely honest with him. "But my girlfriend convinced me to come back," he added, watching as McKenzie nodded as she listened.

With a stand, she said, "Well, I'm glad she did." The demigod didn't give Noah a chance to respond as she focused her attention towards the kitchen, him following behind her closely. He watched as she filled a kettle with water before placing it on the stove to boil, pulling out two mugs. The taller girl turned to Noah, asking, "Are you a tea, coffee, or hot chocolate person?"

"Coffee," he stammered, unsure as to why she asked. After his statement, McKenzie opened the cabinet above the coffee maker, pulling out the contents to brew him a fresh pot. "You don't have to make me coffee, I can do it," he offered.

McKenzie shrugged her shoulders, "It's okay." As the coffee started to drip into the pot, Noah scrutinized the older team member, somewhat aghast from how kind she was. Her actions showing her care for her team. Ignoring Noah's gaze, she directed a question towards him. "Are you doing okay?"

"I'm more shaken up about seeing your guys' fears than my own," he reiterated for the second asker, playing with the ring he wore on his finger. The conversation the two were sharing reminded him of the one he previously had with Charlotte, motivating him to talk it out with the half serpent.

McKenzie, who had ripped open a hot chocolate packet, began pouring its contents inside a mug decorated with wolves. "We don't have to talk about it," McKenzie said in a flat tone, her hands occupied with filling the mug with boiling water before stirring the mug's insides with a spoon.

The necromancer stared down at McKenzie's actions, watching her carefully begin to fill another mug with water, this one adorning snakes. "We need to talk about it though," Noah pressed on the issue. The smell of coffee soon filled the small kitchen, gaining McKenzie's attention. She turned towards the appliance, filling three mugs with the dark liquid. "There's no shame in talking about the simulation," Noah continued, hoping to end McKenzie's quiet streak.

The soft-spoken girl turned to Noah, a tone of bitterness laced in her neutral voice, "The simulation hurt us, Noah. It exposed parts of us that were private. We are now just getting back to normal, so there's no need to look back." Noah couldn't find his voice to retort back, too shocked at McKenzie's change of demeanor. Instead, he looked down into his drink, his stomach flipping internally.

"Sorry," he muttered lamely, tracing the design on the outside of the glass. "I won't mention it again." McKenzie sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose with her pointer finger and her thumb.

"No, I'm sorry," McKenzie apologized, looking everywhere in the room but at Noah. "I just don't want what happened to affect the team forever. If we ignore it…" She trailed off, her gaze finding itself focusing on the kitchen floor.

Noah understood where she was going with her statement, finishing her sentence for her, "If we ignore it than it didn't happen." McKenzie nodded in reply, taking her tea into her hands. It was at this time that Noah truly learned the sympathy and love that McKenzie had for her friends.

"You hungry?" McKenzie asked, trying to switch the subject from its current dark one. She opened the fridge, revealing a bright white box, a half-eaten birthday cake sitting inside of it. "Want some left-over cake?"

Noah's eyebrows furrowed once more. "Who's birthday was it?" He asked, somewhat surprised that he had missed it.

"It was Victoria's," she answered him, cutting him a piece of the dessert, and handing it towards him after placing it carefully on a plate. "It was on the nineteenth," the demigod answered. _Oh,_ Noah thought, remembering where he had been on August 19th, _that was during the week I took off._

* * *

 _Victoria returned to the base after previously spending the night in Gotham, celebrating her birthday early with her parents. After the nightmarish simulation, the girl desperately needed the break and to return home where normalcy stood. Or as normal as it could be, considering the night jobs her parents possessed. However, despite her family's occupation, the night was enjoyable and relaxing as they went out to eat._

 _Sadly, she had to return to the cave. Earlier that morning as she laid in her home bedroom, she received a text from Logan, reminding the girl to return to the mountain in order to be released from her stitches' hold. She had been hurt at first, expecting her phone to be flooding with birthday messages from her team, but then she remembered the gruesome experience they shared. She didn't blame them for forgetting about her birthday._

 _So, with those thoughts in mind, she practically dragged herself out from the Zeta-Tubes. "Surprise!" The yells shocked her, scaring her into clutching onto her chest. Her eyes were still wide as she examined the scene, McKenzie holding onto a decorated cake and Victoria and Logan holding party poppers in their hands._

" _You remembered?" Victoria asked after getting over her initial shock, a smile spreading across her face._

 _Yessenia shoved a party hat over the older girl's brown locks. "Of course we did! You're finally an adult!" Both girls smiled largely, the simulation erased from their minds at the current moment. The Italian had finally turned eighteen, a remarkable age for anybody._

 _McKenzie shoved the cake in Victoria's direction as the group poorly sang the traditional birthday song, Victoria blowing out the candles towards the end. As they all cheered after the accomplishment, Logan interrupted the festivities, a camera in his hand. "Okay guys, get close and say cheese!"_

" _Cheese!" The girls hollered, each smiling in their own respective ways as a flash shuttered out of the camera._

* * *

Noah had no time to reply to McKenzie before Yessenia entered the kitchen, rubbing the sleep out of her eyes, Victoria and Logan falling in step behind her. "I'm just saying that there were a lot of inaccuracies about the movie," Yessenia complained, continuing a private conversation that the three were having back in the living room.

"Oh, like what?" Victoria challenged through a stifled yawn. The Italian girl picked up a coffee mug that McKenzie had made for her, drinking it gratefully. It had become some sort of nonverbal tradition for the team: whoever woke up first made a fresh pot of coffee.

Yessenia rolled her eyes at the leader's statement. "How about the fact that it portrayed every Russian as a member of the mafia?" It was now Victoria's turn to roll her eyes, ignoring the statement as if Yessenia hadn't spoken. Flabbergasted, the Amazon threw her hands in the air in a child-like manner. "Are you telling me that Logan is secretly the godfather?"

Logan propped himself to sit on top of the kitchen counter, gripping onto his mug tightly with a serious look. He murmured a daunting 'cover blown'. McKenzie, who had picked up on the discussion's topic, snickered at the bewildered glare Yessenia snapped in Logan's direction.

"You three are impossible," Yessenia groaned, falling into a seat at the breakfast bar next to Noah. "At least Noah is back to maintain some balance in sanity around here," the prankster said, slinging an arm around said fifteen-year-old, sticking her tongue out at the remaining team members. The teen's shoulders were tensed and hiked up, uncomfortable with the fake contentedness in the room.

The necromancer looked into his cup deeper, as if his eyes could drink his beverage. He wasn't sure how each of them were acting as if the simulation hadn't occurred; hadn't bothered them in the slightest. The boy knew that what McKenzie said was true, but he also knew it was unhealthy to ignore problems, especially when they were that grim.

McKenzie watched Noah's actions, and before she could stop him, he spoke. "You guys know we have to talk about the simulation, right?" He said in a no-nonsense tone, putting his mug down. The room was soon filled with an eerie silence, all members looking down at the floor.

Victoria was the first to speak, "Some of us talked." But even the newly made adult knew that that wasn't the most accurate statement. Talking wasn't really on the mind as much as comforting one another.

* * *

 _Yessenia woke up quickly, her chest rising and dropping rapidly as sweat glistened on her body. In a heart-beat, the Amazonian had found herself at the edge of her bed, a trash can in her hands as she emptied out her stomach contents. She wasn't sure when she began weeping, but her vision soon became clouded with tears._

 _A knock resonated from her room's door, startling the already fear-filled teen. Her eyes glanced towards her bedside clock, which read 2:34. "Go away," Yessenia croaked, her voice breaking. The Amazonian princess closed her eyes tightly, trying to force her tears away. Despite her wishes, the door opened anyway._

 _She had expected Victoria to enter, as the girl's room was next door to her own and must have heard her vomiting and crying, but was surprised to be greeted by Logan. The young medic sat down next to Yessenia before plucking the vomit filled trash can away from her and giving her a water bottle, a hand wavering to her forehead. "You have a mild temperature," he deduced in a low whisper._

 _Yessenia recoiled away from him, wiping at her eyes furiously. "I don't want to talk about anything," she murmured, drinking the water he had provided her. The Amazonian wasn't dumb and neither was Logan, both of them knew that she had an intense nightmare._

" _I know," Logan retorted. His eyes were squinted, his glasses and contacts far from reach. "But just because you don't want to talk about it doesn't mean you don't want company," he said wisely, staring at her. Her lip quivered for a brief moment, still shaken up over her nightmare._

 _As he was speaking, the girl had repositioned herself to be leaning against her head board. "I'm fine, I don't need-" she stopped her sentence short, reminding herself of what Black Canary had advised her earlier. "Actually, can you stay with me until I fall asleep?" She asked, pulling her knees close to her chest. She wasn't use to showing vulnerability, especially with anyone other than her resident friend Victoria. However, there was a sense of comfort and understanding in Logan's eyes, allowing her to trust him._

 _He nodded before placing the trash can on the ground, making a mental note to clean it out after he left. Yessenia scooted to the left, leaving him room on the bed to sit next to her. When they were finally side by side, she leaned her head against his shoulder, closing her eyes once more to stop tears from escaping. She wouldn't be able to shake the image of her friend's dying any time soon. "Thank you."_

* * *

Noah, who had become inclined in talking out his feelings with his empath girlfriend, became frustrated with his stubborn team mates. The young bat knew that even if the actions were to be awkward, in the long run it would strengthen the team and their friendship. "So, you guys are okay from your 'talk'?" He interrogated, borderline harsh and borderline kind.

"Perfectly okay," Victoria said through a forced grit smile. It was no secret that the teenager was against the entire principal of 'talking it out', preferring to deal with her emotions and baggage on her own. After the simulation, the girl had gone mute, working out in the training room until the wee hours of the morning. The team leader had ignored her injured thigh and ignored the medic's reasoning against her work out, instead choosing to punch through her feelings.

McKenzie had been quiet since Noah's outburst, upset that he had gone against her advice but proud that he had enough courage to speak out about the simulation unlike the others.

The necromancer shook his head. "If you are perfectly okay Victoria, then why are you nervously tapping your fingers against the counter's edge?" He asked her, a concerned expression etched into his face as he stared at her. The girl's fidgeting stopped, as she was now aware of her actions.

"Some people aren't talkers Noah," Logan said, trying to get the attention off of Victoria, who had become visibly uncomfortable. Noah's eyes shifted from the girl's onto the older male's, his eyes narrowing in on the boy's actions. The adult had been rubbing the inside of his arm through his jacket as he spoke, a nervous tick that Noah had picked up on.

Noah's eyes danced around the room, the blue orbs picking up on the slightest movements from both McKenzie and Yessenia. The demigod's hands were wringing in her lap, her fingers twitching the slightest at the contact, whereas the princess's foot was nervously tapping against the kitchen's floor.

The necromancer stood up from his seat next to Yessenia, speaking as he did so, "Batman thinks the team should consent to mandatory therapy, I was trying to stop him earlier, but now I think you guys need it." With that said, the bat left the kitchen, leaving behind a quiet, unsettled group.

* * *

The nagging voice in Victoria's head caused her to break focus from her text book once more. _Noah is right,_ it repeated vindictively, leaving a sour and bitter feeling in her head. Closing her computer science book shut, Victoria left the base's small library in pursuit of her team members; her friends. _We already saw the scary parts of each other, why are we scared to talk about it now?_ Victoria's mind kept racing, her heart now pounding.

She was afraid to use her voice to summon her friends, instead choosing to send out a mass text message. Victoria had only been an adult for the better part of a school week, yet it already seemed like an eternity as responsibilities kept piling itself on top of her. She entered the training room, which was no surprise since she fought against her problems in this room for months.

"Hey," McKenzie said, entering the room first, her phone in her hand. "I got your text; are we doing another training exercise?" As she questioned the mission's leader, the other teens soon entered the room as well. They all shared exhausted expressions from sleepless nights and too-little sleep naps. Victoria met everyone's eyes, summoning her courage to speak.

Victoria's fingers twitched at her sides as she answered the half serpent, "Not really. Tiny was right when he said we needed to talk this out," Victoria paused her sentence when Noah sent a glare in her direction, obviously displeased with his new given nickname. She continued when his look faltered, "And I thought it would be better to talk about it with each other rather than with a Justice League member, since we all experienced the same stuff." The teenaged group stared at one another for an odd moment, unsure what to do or say.

The Italian took the lead as she sat down on the cushioned blue floor, her legs crossing in an Indian style. It wasn't long before Noah was quick to join her side, a smile plastered firmly on his face. Once the others realized there was no escape from the discussion, they sat down on the mats comfortably. No one questioned the location where they were having this serious talk, all familiar that this was the room in which they acted the most team like. It had brought comfort and familiarity despite the current grievance.

When everyone was sat somewhat comfortably, Victoria started speaking once more. "Ask whatever you want or admit to your feelings and talk them out honestly," the key word honestly was added after Victoria witnessed her friends' expressions. For thirty seconds straight, the team remained quiet, all feeling too awkward to start out the seminar.

Noah sighed through his nose, looking over at Logan with a sorrow-filled expression. "I left the base because of you," he admitted honestly, his eyes scanning the medic for a reaction. Logan had taken in a deeper breath, his hand going back to his arm. "Killing is morally wrong, but-" he stopped for a moment, feeling guilty as Logan's face fell in shame and disgust, "-but after seeing what your dad put you through, I realized that if you hadn't killed him, I would have." The necromancer knew that the medic hadn't meant to hurt his father, let alone stab him, but his words still rang true. The anger that boiled inside of him at the sight was strong enough to make him consider breaking the number one Bat family rule.

The room was deathly silent for another moment as Noah continued, "It makes my skin crawl thinking about how often and for how long you were-" Noah didn't want to say the word raped, feeling that it was disgusting and that the verb didn't belong in a sentence along with Logan's name. "I don't know if anyone has ever told you this, but I'm proud of you for sticking up for your little sister," Noah finished.

Logan's hand went up towards his face, his eyes glossing over in sadness at the sickening memory. He could only manage to stutter out a lame 'yeah' in response, too focused on not showing any tears to the younger team members. The embarrassment evident on his facial features convinced Yessenia to force attention off of him, but not before patting his knee in comforting reassurance.

"McKenzie," The Amazonian princess started, turning her body to face the demigod. "Are you scared of the team dying, or _me_ dying?" The question was specific, which tugged on McKenzie's heart strings harshly. The two girls had similar yet vastly different fears, and Yessenia couldn't help but be curious in why she was the only one to get harmed in the older girl's nightmarish vision.

After taking in a deeper breath, McKenzie answered the younger girl with thought out words. Normally, the half serpent would never even consider speaking any of her feelings or thoughts aloud, but she abandoned her likeness for the sake of the Amazon. "I'm scared of messing up and it costing someone their life. Before Scarecrow entered the simulation, I saw that Bane was aiming to kill you and I was too busy being tied up to help you and-" McKenzie began nervously rambling, her hands shaking in the slightest. She could feel her simulated panic attack creeping up on her again.

Before she could spiral any further into the attack, Yessenia calmed the girl down by gripping onto her hand tightly, sharing a reassuring moment with the serpent. As her hands regained structure and her voice wasn't as shrill and quickly paced, she paid attention to Yessenia's words. "-And it wouldn't have been your fault," she assured.

McKenzie threw her arms around the bigger girl, shoving her face in the crook between her neck and her shoulder. "I'm sorry," she apologized in an even toned voice, Yessenia hushing her the entire time.

The Amazon looked up towards her best friend, aiming the next question at her. "Do you feel like we hate you?"

Victoria inhaled sharply. She had assumed that the team would question her about her thought pattern, yet she wasn't entirely prepared to admit it towards the small group. "I don't know… sometimes?" The looks she received varied from heart-broken to reassuring, and Victoria continued her monologue. "I don't think I'm the best leader for the team, even though you guys keep reiterating that I am. I'm rash, I'm impulsive, I'm not always the smartest…"

Noah, who had been taking mental notes the entire time, chose to speak up at this point, sympathy filling him towards his new-found team mate. "Red Hood is like that sometimes, but he's still a great leader for the Outlaws," his words struck something in the Italian girl, her eyes cast down in thought. It never occurred to her that there were different types of leaders, nor that she shouldn't feel guilty about her leading style.

Before another question could be aimed at a team member, Yessenia spoke up, her hand still tightly holding onto McKenzie's. "You're an amazing leader Tori, but you shoulder remember that there isn't even an official leader of the team. Everything that goes negatively isn't on you and what you planned," Yessenia reminded the girl.

McKenzie released Yessenia's hand slowly but confidently, moving closer to the leader. "It is not your fault that our simulation went astray and we don't blame you for it," the demigod added to Yessenia's statement, knowing that her friend needed to hear someone say that to her.

"You don't?" Victoria asked, her eyebrows furrowed in question once more. McKenzie nodded, casting a sympathetic look towards the insecure girl. The half serpent wasn't immune to feeling insecure herself, hiding away from everyone because of her unwelcomed feelings, so she understood what the taller girl was struggling through.

Victoria remained quiet after that, weighing out what was said to her in the past two minutes as she tried taking her team's kind words to heart. It stung knowing that previous school-yard bullies and her overstressed brain were the concoction to her fatigued mind. Yessenia, who knew of Victoria's haunted school past, hugged her best friend tightly, offering her what minimal support she could.

Noah smirked lightly, satisfied that not only did they trust him enough to adhere to his suggestion, but that it was actually benefiting them. He could see the tension ease off of Victoria's neck as she hugged Yessenia tightly, comforted by the younger girl. It was moments like these that reminded the girl why she was a hero in the first place.

"How have you been dealing with it Yes?" Victoria asked her after separating from her embrace. The two had briefly discussed the Amazon's feelings after the simulation and how straight forward and somewhat noble her fear was.

The Amazon girl's eyes went down cast, before scrambling back up to meet everyone else's eyes. _I am an Amazon and this isn't appropriate behavior! I am a warrior!_ The girl chastised herself, before speaking. "I've been having a couple of nightmares," Yessenia admitted, her eyes glancing over at Logan momentarily. "My nightmares have just been the simulation on repeat," the admittance was revolutionary for the girl, feeling stress rolling off her shoulders. She hadn't discussed the nightmares in detail with the medic, but he had a hypothesis on what they were about.

Logan's eyes had softened, "How frequent have they been?" His question had been out of care as he hypothesized whether or not long-term medication would prove beneficial to the Amazonian princess.

"About every night," Yessenia added to her confession, her foot tapping on the floor slowly and cautiously. Everyone in the room had gone through their fair share of nightmares, but not any so frequent. Yessenia chewed on the inside of her cheek as the team stared at her with worry. She wondered if she would ever be the same again.

* * *

 **Mount Justice**

 **August 24, 2017**

 **14:05**

"The Flash, A-04," the computer called out to the cave. After the call, a white light flooded the entrance to the mountain, Barry Allen exiting its intensity with squinted eyes.

"I will never get used to that," the Scarlet Speedster joked with himself, a slight chuckle hidden behind his voice. As he was speaking, he moved towards the monitor at hyper active speed to type in extra sets of numbers. It wasn't long before the AI computer granted access to two more arrivals. From the light, two late-aged teenage boys entered the mountain, each carrying their own bags.

The taller of the two smirked as he looked around, pleased with the scenery. "Now this is what I call a base," he whistled. The nineteen-year-old mixed teen looked back at the other, who was of clear Indian decent. "Better than the last base anyway," he joked.

Barry smiled lightly at the younger man's reaction. "Sorry about that," he apologized, his smile never leaving his freckled face. The speedster had to slow his actions down as he led the two deeper into the cave and towards the gym, where he figured the team were training.

The two teens, who had been in training for the past twelve weeks themselves, had been stationed in a cramped up hide-out which had been abandoned by the league years ago. The location, which had been in the colder region, was anything but comfortable for the two newcomers. So when they finished their training requirement, neither boy could contain their happiness as they were able to leave.

The three entered the gym, immediately being targeted by offset batarangs. McKenzie, who had been sparring against Noah, had ducked away from the flying projectiles, which resulted in them whizzing past her and towards the door. Without effort, Barry caught the weapons before they were able to strike the two teens. The speedster tossed the weapons at the ground, a grin stretched across his face at the scene.

Not only were McKenzie and Noah sparring against each other, Victoria and Yessenia were also at each other's throats in a match. While they were fighting, Logan sat to the side tinkering with the simulation's headsets, a screwdriver clenched tightly in his hand. However, at the sight of the esteemed Justice League member, the group's training was forgotten as they greeted Barry.

Victoria heaved air in deeply as she scrutinized the unknown occupants. She wheezed out a measly, "Who are they?" However, before Barry could respond, the taller of the newcomers stepped forward.

"I'm Oliver, but you can call me whatever you'd like," his tone was flirtatious as he offered the Italian a wink. The half white, half African American teen was quick with his words, seemingly unfazed from Victoria's bewildered expression. Oliver stood tall, his frame muscular and thick; however, his style didn't support that. His shaved head was concealed underneath a pastel pink cap which sported a floral pattern, and his dark blue jeans had been rolled up a little over his ankle, making him look soft.

Victoria looked over at the other boy, who was slightly shorter than Oliver. He wasn't short by any means necessary, as they both had superior vertical length compared to the other members. "Raja," he said in a simple, yet gruff, tone. Unlike Oliver, his style supported his tough image. Raja wore a black leather jacket over a white shirt, both fitting him perfectly to show off his muscular frame. The 'softest' thing about his appearance was a white feather necklace, which lay on his chest neatly.

Barry looked at the group and offered them another smile, patting Oliver on the shoulder briefly. The two knew the only reason he was the one introducing them to the team was because he could do it the fastest, and that theory was proven right by Barry's following words. "Well, I have to be going. Central City isn't going to save itself!" He barely finished his sentence before dashing out of the room in pursuit of the city.

The team looked at one another awkwardly as their eyes focused on the new comers.

"Well," Victoria started speaking, looking at Yessenia for support. "I'm Victoria, but you can call me Tori," her voice was laced with confidence as she outstretched her hand to shake Raja's. His hand shake was firm and rough, his grip on Victoria's hand tight. He released her hand only to have Yessenia's hand shoved into his.

The Amazon stood tall, sizing up the new members. "You can call me either Yessenia or Yes," she greeted. This reminded her of the time when Noah was being introduced to the team; however, she felt more comfortable with the smaller boy in comparison to the two bigger and older males. Even though she had lived in the city with Black Canary for a lengthy period of time, she often felt unsure around unfamiliar men.

Noah stopped resetting his utility belt in order to introduce himself, somewhat happy that he was no longer going to be considered the 'new team member'. His hand seemed childish when it was in the palm of either boy, but he didn't let that discourage him. "I'm Noah-" He started, before Yessenia finished with a quick 'or Tiny!' interjection. His glare was futile as she simply grinned.

McKenzie, who had been quiet until now, waved at the new comers. "I'm McKenzie, but I also answer to Mack or Adder," her voice was low and quiet, her eyebrows furrowing at Raja's expression. He seemed bored, almost angry.

"And what do we call you, Pretty Boy?" Oliver asked in Logan's direction with yet another wink. The taller teen had side stepped the others, his arm slinging around Logan's frame with ease. The medic's face flushed red in embarrassment, stuttering out his name lamely. Oliver's grin only widened at the timid boy's reaction. "Oh, I'm going to like it here."

* * *

 **Sorry for the late update, but as some of you know, I had sprained my wrist and was unable to type. I hope that that wasn't an inconvenience, and to repay you guys for the late update I'll add another chapter within the next three days. As always, it would be great if you guys answered this chapter's questions:**

 **1\. Which characters do you like the most/dislike the most?**

 **2\. Which relationships/friendships could you see happening?**

 **3\. Personality questions: Which Hogwarts house is your character in and why?; If your character would be an Avenger (Marvel Comics) which one would they be?; What would your character dress up as for Halloween?**


	7. Chapter 7

**Keystone City University**

 **August 25, 2017**

 **18:19**

McKenzie slid underneath a long and narrow cafeteria table while Victoria vaulted over it with ease, lasers ricocheting behind them loudly. The two girls ran, retreating towards the back of the dining hall, their chests heaving. While hidden behind a pillar, Victoria pressed her finger against her ear.

Once her communication link beeped, signaling that her microphone was turned on, she spoke into it. "Watcher, how much longer until you finally dismantle the bomb?" Her question was directed at Oliver, who resided in the basement level of the building they were in along with Yessenia and Noah.

Oliver bit his lip in concentration, his brain attempting to find a solution to the bomb's algorithm. Inside the bomb, multiple wires zigged in and out of ports, lighting up the dash board colorfully. The wire cutter gripped inside his gloved hand itched closely to a black string.

From the other end of the communication link, the skilled technician replied, "Two more minutes, baby girl." Victoria peered out from behind her and McKenzie's hiding space, mentally counting how many robots were still standing. It was easy to ignore Oliver's flirting while being attacked by an endless herd of enemies.

"I don't know how much longer Adder and I can hold the robots back," Victoria confessed earnestly, losing count after reaching fifty androids. Half way through her sentence, a laser beam whizzed past her head, scorching part of her cape's hood. The clothing sizzled for a moment, the purple fabric turning black and shriveled. As she pressed her back once more against the pillar for protection, the archer looked down at McKenzie with a disdained look before mumbling a measly 'great'.

 _I can't be rash and impulsive, I have to find a plan,_ Victoria reminded herself, taking a chance to look around the cafeteria for ideas. Her eyes narrowed at the sight of a fire alarm across the room and the plan formulated instantly. With a deep and nervous breath, the Huntress trainee ran out from her position, her crossbow aimed.

With her free hand, she stabbed the closest robot to her in the chest, using his body to shield her from any upcoming attacks. She placed the crossbow on top of its limp mechanical shoulder for balance, aiming her arrow towards the alarm. She released her weapon's trigger accurately. _Thwip!_ The arrow rushed past the assailants, etching itself into the fire alarm. The system's breakage resulted in water draining from the ceiling, short circuiting the droids in the cafeteria.

Not allowing herself to celebrate prematurely, Victoria's attention shifted back towards McKenzie. As the demigod walked towards the archer, she wiped an excessive amount of blood off her face with the back of her hand. "You okay?" Victoria interrogated the younger and smaller girl. Victoria brought her hand up to inspect McKenzie's lacerated cheek, turning the demigod's face to the side for a better angle. Even though the archer held no medical proficiency, she deduced that McKenzie wouldn't need stitches.

"I'm fine," the girl assured her leader, yet the blood still didn't stop seeping out from her cheek. It wasn't severe, but Victoria couldn't help but be concerned for the younger girl, the habit being formed since the moment she met the serpent months ago.

* * *

 _McKenzie shuffled around the base slowly, the energy that was usually laced in her actions long gone. Her face was swollen, red, and hot in sickness, her nose managing to be both leaking fluids and be stuffed all at once. The demigod shivered as she moved, the thought of calming tea motivating her to continue her trip to the kitchen. When she finally entered her desired location, she allowed herself to be vulnerable. She didn't want to risk the chance of someone finding her sick on her way to the empty kitchen._

 _The demigod couldn't control the urge to cough into the crook of her arm loudly, which gained the attention of Victoria. The archer, who previously sat in the lounge completely her school work, followed the noise into the kitchen. Her eyes widened when she noticed McKenzie's broken stature._

 _"Holy shit," the Italian said in a startled, yet concerned, tone. She was by McKenzie's side in an instant, her eyebrows furrowing as she attempted to diagnose her sick friend. Accessing all of her symptoms, Victoria settled on the possibility that McKenzie was suffering from the flu, which Victoria herself suffered through some time last week._

 _"I'm fine," McKenzie obviously lied, her voice raspy and strained. Victoria looked at the girl with a soft expression, understanding the want to always look powerful in front of others. Without another moment's thought, Victoria picked up the serpent girl bridal style, ignoring the demigod's protests against it._

 _Victoria walked down the halls of the base in pursuit of the younger girl's bed room. In a slightly amused voice, she spoke down to McKenzie, "Stop resisting. I'm going to take care of you whether you like it or not." Her words must have sparked something in McKenzie, because the girl instantly stopped fighting against the archer's hold. "I'll go find you some medication and make you dinner. You'll be okay," Victoria didn't need to say her final sentence, McKenzie already knowing that whenever the older girl was around, everything would be more than okay._

* * *

Oliver's tongue stuck out of his mouth slightly, sweat beading off his forehead in nervousness. The wire cutters in his hand snipped at a red wire, which successfully halted the chances of a detonator triggering the explosive; however, it didn't stop the potential of the bomb going off. He continued his work as Yessenia and Noah fought off the androids protecting the basement.

Yessenia smacked her shield on the back of a robot's head, the sound of metal against metal resounding through the air. Without hesitation, the girl flung the short circuited robot's body into three other assailants. Similar to dominoes, they all collapsed towards the ground.

Unlike the herd of nanotechnology Victoria and McKenzie had been struggling with, the amount of robots in the basement were manageable for the teens. "On your right!" Noah shouted from across the room, resulting in the Amazonian girl to release a high pitched canary scream at an ambush of machines. The high frequency caused the androids' heads to erupt, oil spattering throughout the room unevenly.

"Gross," Yessenia sneered, wiping the thick black liquid off of her face. The Amazonian girl's face twisted in disgust when she noticed the stains on her tan leather jacket, her tongue sticking out momentarily. She was used to oil stains, but not oil stains that resembled blood from fallen enemies. Her disgust was quickly followed by determination as she bounded towards Noah to provide the necromancer with aid. "On your right," Yessenia said in a cheeky and mimicking tone, punching an android who loomed over her smaller team mate.

Noah smirked, shaking his head fondly at the banter the two were sharing. Out of all the team members, it had been easiest for Noah to befriend the Amazonian goddess, her perky and 'take no shit' demeanor complimenting his personality greatly. She was an instant friend to him, their relationship constantly mirroring bickering siblings.

* * *

 _"Can you hand me a wrench?" Yessenia pleaded, briefly glancing up towards Noah as she spoke. The Amazon was currently laying on her back in the hanger, her hands under her favorite ATV, which was black and canary yellow. After her last ride through Happy Harbor, she had noticed the lack of professional performance in the vehicle, thus the reasoning on why she was fixing it. The necromancer shifted the tools around in the tool box momentarily before plucking out the desired appliance._

 _Handing it to her, he began speaking, "Do you like riding?" He knew there was an obvious answer to his question, but the look of joy plastered on the girl's face whenever she mentioned the vehicles convinced him to ask. He had first noticed this when walking into the Amazon's room days ago and seeing her abundant amount of riding gear, posters, and trophies displayed everywhere. Forgetting about his search for a pen, the two had a three hour discussion on one of the girl's favorite hobbies._

 _Yessenia smiled largely, her toothy grin matching his._ _"I love it!" She said, her hands still working, "You should come ride with me next time I go, you'll enjoy it."_

 _Her genuine tone brought comfort to the boy as he agreed to her offer. It wasn't always the easiest task to join an already formed team, and he often felt excluded from their inside jokes and stories, but Yessenia's friendship and assurance made him feel as if he belonged. She would always go out of her way to make him feel welcomed._

 _The Amazon stood up abruptly and dropped the wrench onto the floor, which clanked noisily. As she was clapping her hands free from dust, Noah joined her by her side."Think it will work?" He inquired._

 _With a devilish look to match her grin, she faced the boy for a split second. "Only one way to find out," Yessenia smirked as she grabbed her helmet from the storage space behind her. She looked at the necromancer for an awaited period, her expression impatient yet kind. "Grab a helmet already Tiny, I don't have all day!"_

* * *

Separate from the rest of the team, Raja and Logan kept the assailant busy. While on campus, the two had located uniformed lab coats from a nearby supply closet and after covering their hero suits with the new garments, they used their new disguises to blend in with a group of hostages. They were both sitting in a smaller lab on the second floor, both bound and tied next to the other captives. Despite their predicament, this was all according to plan.

Raja twisted his wrists around uncomfortably, bitter that instead of fighting like the majority of his team mates, he was stuck zip-tied next to Logan. The older, yet smaller boy, seemed unfazed compared to his impatient and somewhat violent team mate. Even though the rogue scientist was reciting a thought out monologue to the hostage group, the innocent bystanders paid no attention to him as Logan questioned if they contained any physical injuries.

"They cut my program, so now they will feel my wrath. If they are unable to provide me with the resources I need to complete my research, I will destroy this entire campus!" As the criminal nearly yelled his reasoning behind his attack, Raja rolled his eyes at how cliche the situation was. His fingers twitched behind his back as he played with the plastic bounds, his annoyance only growing as the lead nanotechnology scientist continued talking. Throughout the entire dilemma, the criminal's thumb hovered over a detonator as he threatened the group with activating the bomb every other minute.

Raja smirked as Noah's voice crackled in his ear, the smaller boy informing the team that the bomb was successfully disarmed. Without hesitation, the Indian boy broke his bands. At the sight of the enraged hero marching towards him, the belligerent miscreant slammed his limb against the supposedly dangerous button. Almost instantly, the scientist realized his plan had been foiled.

The scientist screamed in protest when no explosives sounded, bringing joy to Raja's ears. The ironic mission was now in the boy's favor as he closed the distance between him and the assailant, grabbing the man by his lab coat and lifting him in the air. His position was nearly comical as his feet dangled in the air pathetically.

"Next time, make an appeal to the campus about your funding," Raja advised in a low and dangerous tone. Before the malefactor could respond, Raja punched him in the temple forcefully, knocking him unconscious instantly.

As Raja grabbed the assailant and flung him over his shoulder fireman style, Logan freed the remaining three hostages. After their release, the captives fled the tiny lab in pursuit of safety with the emergency responders outside, leaving the two boys in the room with the rogue scientist. "Did you read him his Miranda Rights?" Logan questioned the larger man, who pushed past Logan towards the door.

"I'm not going to read him his rights, especially since he's not awake. Don't be pretentious," the tone was harsh and cold. Logan watched as the man disappeared through the door with their criminal, frowning slightly at his words.

* * *

 **Mount Justice**

 **August 25, 2017**

 **20:22**

Yessenia grinned wickedly, her eyebrows raised up in amusement. Her hand was interlocked with Raja's as both teenagers attempted to win at their arm wrestling battle. "Ready to give up?" The Amazon princess taunted, confidence laced across each of her features. Her eyes challenged Raja as well as her position.

"Never," The Indian boy retorted in an even voice, his gaze shifting from their hands to Yessenia's eyes. The banter between them remained unrelenting as both of them planned to beat the other in the childish game. Despite how childish the game was, Victoria, Oliver and Noah appeared to be fascinated, placing bets on what the outcome would be. While the necromancer firmly believed that Yessenia was holding back her strength and could easily beat the other, Oliver remained faithful in his training companion.

From her position on the couch, McKenzie's gaze constantly shifted from her book on to the competition. Even though she wasn't technically involving herself in the sport, she hypothesized that Yessenia could easily out match Raja. She giggled slightly as Oliver and Victoria bickered back and forth about the mission's outcome.

Victoria, with annoyance evident on her face, rolled her eyes at the boy. "An EMP wouldn't have caused the bomb to detonate earlier, if anything it would have canceled the link between the bomb and the device," the Italian argued her position fiercely. After the girl had found out that Noah contained an EMP in his utility belt and didn't use it to disrupt the androids' programming to stop their attacks, she became angry. More so at Oliver who had told him not to use it, which resulted in the gash on McKenzie's cheek.

Oliver sighed, "Come on Beautiful, don't be mad at me. There was a chance that there was a fail safe mechanism in the bomb which would have gone off if the link had been destroyed." At his explanation, Victoria muttered a 'whatever' quip, which was closely followed by Oliver smirking.

McKenzie's eyes filtered over to Logan. After addressing her facial laceration when they returned to the base, he had taken up the action of typing up the mission report on his laptop. The demigod was grateful that after their past two negative mission experiences, this report would finally be positive. After all the team has been through, they deserved a win. Thinking briefly at the idea, the serpent closed her book. "We should celebrate," she said to the group, gaining their attention.

The small girl was often quiet and reserved, but whenever she spoke she knew that everyone in the room listened to her. As she suggested a celebratory activity, Yessenia dropped hands with the Indian boy, her hands clapping together happily.

"We can go down to the beach and swim!" The beach always reminded her of Themyscira, creating a home in Happy Harbor away from her actual home. Her enthusiasm was plentiful as she glanced around her team mates for their support.

Noah snorted, "Oh yeah, take the kid who controls the shadows onto the sunny beach, that sounds practical." If there was one thing Noah hated more than the beach, it was having to be dressed in swimming attire, which made the young Bat uncomfortable. At his exclamation, Yessenia tapped her chin in thought, still trying to ponder the perfect activity for the group that didn't involve their usual video game or movie shenanigans.

Victoria, the overgrown child that she was, sprouted at the mention of a new activity. "We can go down to the park and have a picnic!" _And play on the equipment,_ she added internally, a smile gracing her face.

"I'll make the food!" Oliver said, speaking before anyone could suggest something more age appropriate.

At Oliver's excitement, Raja stood up with a sigh. After befriending the eccentric male weeks ago, the Indian boy knew that whenever Oliver wanted to do something, there was no talking him out of it. "I guess we are going to the park then," he said in a near monotone voice. Victoria and Yessenia could barely contain their joy as they jumped up to pack small activities for their trip.

* * *

 **Sorry for the short (and late) update. I am trying to give you all a break from the constant angst, so this chapter and next chapter will be a lot lighter. If any of you have park activities in mind or conversations you want to happen, let me know! Also, if you want to pitch me mission ideas, challenge ideas (for the blog), or AU's you would like to see, tell me about it! Don't be afraid to communicate with me I love hearing from you all :) Talking to me about your characters will help me make the story better for you all. As always, thank you for reading and let me know what you all think!**

 **1\. What's one thing you want me to do for character above all else (one positive/one negative)?**

 **2\. What's one thing you want to see from any character besides your own (could be either positive or negative)?**

 **3\. If one character where to die, who do you think it would be and why?**


	8. Chapter 8

**Happy Harbor National Park**

 **August 26, 2017**

 **13:37**

Raja couldn't help but to roll his eyes at his team's childish antics. After arriving at the surprisingly deserted park, the young Indian boy had been handed nearly all the team's belongings as they raced towards the playground, leaving him and the oldest member behind.

"Are they usually like this?" Raja asked as he watched the team separate onto different equipment. The usual stoic and angered boy smiled as Oliver pushed both Victoria and Yessenia off the balance beam they were previously wrestling on. As the three transitioned into a game of tag, Raja's gaze followed Logan's directed stare at McKenzie.

The two boys observed her as the small demigod sat in a swing by herself, a book opened in her hand. With a sigh, Logan answered Raja's question, "Not as often as I want them to be." Their stares didn't lessen as they sat down on the table's bench.

Even though she looked peaceful, the two could tell that something was troubling McKenzie. Her reading pace, which was usually much quicker, was slowed drastically as she struggled to focus on the text. Her eyebrows were furrowed as she constantly looked up from her page, her eyes attempting to find each of her team mates. The serpent applied no effort in swinging, nor in her book, which worried the two onlookers.

"Is she okay?" Raja inquired, his gaze shifting from said girl and onto Logan. Even though he was new to the team, the Muslim boy still cared for the group's well-being.

"I don't know," Logan responded in a low whisper, his tone suggesting more concern than confusion. After the simulation, the teens had struggled to come to terms with what they had seen and whether they wanted to discuss it, but McKenzie's reaction was different than the rest of the team's. Unlike the others, she had insisted that she was fine, which couldn't have been further from the truth.

* * *

 _Noah walked out of his assigned room, his packed bag fixated on his back. He had hoped that it was late enough that the rest of the troubled teens had hidden themselves away in their rooms or that they wouldn't hear his departure; however, he was soon face to face with McKenzie. The taller girl looked down at him, her eyebrow quirked in a questioning manner._

 _Both of them stared at one another, the tension between them turning awkward as Noah thumbed the straps to his bag. "Hey Mack," the boy greeted lamely, his hands retreating towards one another in a clapped position._

 _"Are you okay?" Her greeting was vacant, her query taking its place in their conversation. As she spoke, the demigod scrutinized the boy for any sign that something was amiss, but her action proved futile. After all, she thought to herself, he is a trained bat._

 _"I'm just heading back to Gotham," he replied honestly, his eyes meeting hers as if she were going to challenge him. Even though she wasn't as good of a detective as him, she did notice that he didn't answer her question. But again, she thought, that was something that everyone in the Bat family does._

 _McKenzie stepped to the side so that he was able to pass her by, but he stayed still for a moment. "Are you okay?" He repeated her, his tone far more empathetic than hers._

 _Her gaze lowered for a moment, thinking back on everything that's happened to her and the team. "I'm fine," she said. That phrase became her mantra as she reiterated it for anyone that asked her that uneasy question and Noah was no exception._

 _Usually the necromancer would pry, his level of care high, but he couldn't bring himself to bother her at the moment. She was guarded and he understood why...perhaps a little too much for comfort. She needed this self protection more than she needed to be battered about the subject._

 _With one last look, he walked past her and towards the Zeta-Tubes._

* * *

Victoria noticed McKenzie's seldom appearance as well, and it didn't take long before the archer ran up behind her with a wide smile. Using all the force she could muster up, the adult pushed McKenzie's swing forward, propelling the serpent. With a stumble, the girl quickly dropped her book in favor of the swing's sides.

"Come play tag with us," Victoria invited the demigod as she continuously pushed the younger girl forward on the swing. Though she wouldn't admit it, McKenzie enjoyed the interaction immensely, a smile gracing her lips. It took no other convincing to persuade the serpent to join their game, her book forgotten as well as her negative thoughts.

By the time the two met up with Oliver and Yessenia, Noah had joined them as well. "Alright," Oliver started with a smile, adjusting his pastel pink cap to face backwards on his head, "Here are the rules: no powers are allowed, no time outs, and-" the mixed teen scanned the empty playground briskly before continuing, "-and Raja is home base." The technician cackled at the group's worried expressions, each of them intimidated by the indignant man.

"Who's it?" Noah pondered. Almost instantly, all the teens broke apart as they ran away from the necromancer, providing him with an answer. "Sugar honey iced tea," he mumbled his cursed anagram, before stalking off after them.

He followed Yessenia as she bounded up the jungle gym equipment, a smirk plastered over his face. "You won't get away from me by climbing," he taunted the Amazonian, as if reminding her of his abilities. When she jumped to the dirt through the openings, he flipped upside down to tag her, his legs holding his weight up.

"Hey!" Oliver cried from the top of the slide, a hand on his hip. "I said no powers and that includes your creepy vampire thing!"

It took a moment for the diviner to piece together Oliver's accusation, his confusion evident. "I'm-I'm not a vampire!" Noah stammered when he figured it out. He sat up, the blood rushing out of his head and back into his body. 'The vampire thing' Oliver had been referring to was the necromancer's hanging bat position, which was understandable.

However, by the time Noah had recollected himself, Yessenia had already distanced herself away from him. "Your tag doesn't count!" She snickered in an amused tone before hiding behind both Victoria and McKenzie for protection. Even though all three of the girls were in reach of home base, they all appeared hesitant to claim their immunity, and instead chose to hover around Raja.

The three were surprised when Oliver sprinted across the playground and closed the distance between him and the other boy. "I'm safe!" Oliver informed Noah, who had been chasing him since the slide. Noah stopped short at the sight of Raja's menacing stature.

Surprisingly to majority of the group, Raja didn't react angrily towards Oliver's near tackle. Instead, the younger man simply turned towards him, asking him, "Did you remember to put on sunscreen?"

"Yes I did mom," the technician teased as he pried himself off of the larger boy. "You can be such a mother hen sometimes," he added, sitting down properly at the table next to him. His game of tag was forgotten as he removed his bag of chips from the picnic basket.

"A mother hen, huh? I wonder what that's like," Yessenia said sarcastically, sitting down next to Logan with humored look.

Oliver chuckled slightly, offering his food to the girl. "Two parents? I wonder which one is the mom and which one is the dad," his humorous tone caused the girls to snicker wickedly at the thought.

Without skipping a beat, Raja replied to his eccentric friend nonchalantly, "I'm the dad."

* * *

Eventually the group of teens grew bored with the playground and moved towards an open field, a soccer ball held tightly in Yessenia's hands. The Amazonian girl smiled widely at the opportunity to play the competitive sport with her team, more so now that Victoria would be playing on a team with her.

Before they left their table in pursuit of the even level playing field, Noah had suggested a classic twist on the game-girls versus boys. The girls, obviously, accepted the challenge, the thought of his first training session seeping back into their minds. _No ties will be accepted,_ Yessenia thought to herself, glad that the girls would finally be able to beat Noah without the medic interrupting them.

"I'll sit this one out," McKenzie suggested, noticing the uneven number of team mates. Her hands clasped together in front of her as she wrung them around nervously.

"Don't be ridiculous!" Victoria exclaimed, a faux offended look spread across her face. "We need you to play for the girl team!" At the archer's remark, the demigod smiled lightly, her uneasiness settling down. Her mood only elevated as Yessenia nodded in agreement with the older girl.

As Raja attempted to sit along the side lines of the empty grassland, Oliver pulled him closer to the group. "You know, dads usually play sports with their kids," at the technician's jocular statement, Raja couldn't help but shake his head in amused disapproval. However, before he could argue with the taller boy, Logan took his place at the sidelines, claiming to take up the referee roll.

"Alright," Noah started speaking, his smirk growing as he noted the girls' sneers, "Let's kick some girl ass."

Yessenia wasted no time as she threw the ball onto the grass, kicking it in McKenzie's direction. "We'll see about that Tiny," Yessenia taunted cockily, her grin wide.

* * *

 **Mount Justice**

 **August 26, 2017**

 **18:05**

Noah grumbled incoherently as he entered the base from the garage, bitterness etched into his features. With his team walking behind him, he spoke to the girls, "We would have won if you didn't use your powers." His complaint had lasted from the moment their match ended all the way back to the mountain, which delighted the victorious girls. "Or if Yessenia wasn't a star soccer player," he continued, complimenting the Amazonian on her excellent skill.

"To be fair, you used your vampire powers," Oliver teased with a grin.

The technician's statement only flabbergasted the necromancer more as he argued with the older boy, "I'm not a vampire!" Their endless discussion had been amusing for the remainder of the team, majority of them happy that the two were getting along well despite their playful disagreements.

As the group walked towards the debriefing room, Oliver continued Noah's and his conversation, rattling off an additional statement of, "You're part of the Bat family and have control over the dead; you're totally a vampire!" His logic was flawed and illogical, but he continued reiterating the sentiment because it had been producing hilarious reactions from the diviner.

It had seemed that the newer member created nick names for all of the team mates, relentlessly teasing them with the labels in an attempt to establish friendships with them. Majority of the team learned to accept their titles: Princess, Pretty Boy, Medusa, Hunter, and Dad, except Noah. The boy was stubbornly against being called a vampire from the technician.

"Alright Oliver, stop picking on the kid," Raja reprimanded, seeing the distraught look of the youngest team mate. At the younger man's request, Oliver pouted vindictively as he stared down at the necromancer. The sight of his friend's childishness action caused Raja to shake his head with a faint smile.

"Besides," Yessenia started speaking with a grin, "he already has a nick name and its Tiny." The necromancer groaned loudly, his hands covering his face in spurious despair. He couldn't tell what was worse, being called vampire or tiny, or the fact that despite his outcry against it he enjoyed his given titles.

* * *

 **Mount Justice**

 **August 27, 2017**

 **15:09**

McKenzie held a clicker in her hand as she pointed the object up at the computer screen. As she explained their upcoming mission to the group, she clicked through the information on the slides for her team mates to see. "For weeks I've been managing the missing museum artifact case," she accounted, informing the newest team mates of her current leader status.

"And recently I was given a lead that Oswald Cobblepot, otherwise known as the Penguin, had orchestrated this heist," the demigod continued, bringing up a picture of said man onto the screen as well as a a photograph of the stolen heirloom. The absent object had been none other than a jewel penguin statue, which fit the villain's past crime sprees.

Raja crossed his arms before speaking, directing it at the recently made commander, "So what's the plan? Are we going to steal it back?" It was easily deducible that the man preferred a confrontation led fight and had no want in small battle compared to the others.

McKenzie's face turned sheepish for a moment as she played with her hands in front of her before she switched the slides. "There are a lot of parts in this plan, but if it goes right, we have an airtight mission," as the serpent displayed the plan on the screen, her team mates read it. At the top of the screen it was split up into two squads: one for the distracting performers and one for the evidence gathering.

"Well, this will be fun," Noah commented, observing the looks from the team as they noted their roles.

* * *

 **Iceberg Lounge**

 **August 27, 2017**

 **17:44**

Yessenia spoke into her communication link, her eyes surveying the back room. "Is everyone in place?" She asked. Almost immediately her team mates responded positively, which relaxed the nervous girl.

Even though she's been on hundreds of missions, plenty more hazardous than the current one she was on, she couldn't help but be anxious as she gripped her instrument tightly. With a deep sigh, the Amazonian princess walked onto the small performer's stage. Her eyes met Oliver's for a hesitant moment, before they fluttered towards Noah and Logan who were walking on stage with her.

"This should be interesting," Oliver smirked as he fixed his tie with one of his hands, the other reaching out for the microphone. Like the technician, Yessenia was also dressed in formal wear, her usual hero uniform being replaced by a long black dress. Out of everything she's had to do as a hero, this was the first time the girl had to be a performing distraction for a room full of known criminals.

The lone girl gave her cue to the medic, who then began playing the opening piano chords to their musical number. In no time, she was soon following his melody on her violin, which was perched on her shoulder as her bow moved slowly.

Despite the fact that the group did not practice together before their performance, their instruments blended together nicely with one another. Their song selection was slow, allowing the basic chords and notes to be played without needing much professionalism and letting Oliver sing pleasantly.

 _I can't believe this is working out so well,_ Yessenia congratulated herself and her team mates mentally. _Especially since Noah and I are both playing different string instruments._ As she thought this, her gaze shifted to the necromancer as he strummed polite chords on his acoustic guitar, her impatient tendencies creeping up on her. She wanted to wait on his signal before flinging into battle.

* * *

"I lost visual on my suspect," Victoria informed her non musical team mates as she searched the bar for the waiter. Her finger left her ear, dropping her side of the communication link as her microphone turned off.

Though unsure, she speculated that the young man had deserted his previous cleaning duty and entered the employee's only break room. With her head low and her assumption in mind, the archer walked briskly towards the secluded area, grateful for her bartender disguise. When she opened the swinging doors, her eyebrows furrowed in confusion as she spotted her target seemingly spy on the other workers.

Slowly and in a crouched position, she joined the boy's side behind a counter. Her confusion only grew when she noticed that her suspect wasn't an adult, but was a young teenager. "Who are you?" She interrogated in a low voice, glaring at the unknown occupant. His head whipped towards her, his glare equal in strength.

"I'm the guy investigating Cobblepot's staff. Who are _you?"_ His counter interrogation stunned the archer for a brief moment, her eyes blinking rapidly in incertitude. Unable to have a proper argument with the younger teen at the moment, the girl simply faced the other suspects as she listened to their conversation.

Using her phone to document their discussion, the girl crawled closer to the two men that were talking. "All I'm saying is that we went through too much trouble in stealing this for Penguin," one man admitted as he finished his argument with his coworker. Upon hearing the self proclaimed thief's words, the Italian peaked her head over the counter to see the artifact he was referring to. In his hands, the bartender held the museum's missing diamond encrusted penguin heirloom.

Just as Victoria was going to signal her team about the confession, the teenager at her side jumped over the counter. "Hand it over," he threatened, his arms raised at his sides. Without delay or hesitation, the two criminals unsheathed guns from their regalia and pointed the weapons at the intruders...which included Victoria.

"Shit," the archer cursed. _So much for keeping a low profile._ Her hand traveled to her ear piece once more before she directed orders to her scattered team mates, "Our plan has been compromised, go ahead and proceed with caution."

The unknown hero winked at Victoria, "I got this, stay back princess." But as soon as the spray of bullets flashed out of the criminals' weapons, Victoria tackled the boy down to the floor. As far as she was concerned, the boy was a casualty waiting to happen. As soon as the first magazine of ammo was emptied, the teenagers jumped to their feet simultaneously.

Victoria easily out matched her henchman as she applied pressure to the crook of his neck and shoulder, enabling him unconscious. Just as she was moving towards the other thief, the boy drenched him in heavily pressured water rushing out from his hands. _Maybe he isn't a casualty...maybe he's a threat..._ Victoria noted his powers as she stared down the two thieves. She could only hope the others were having as much unplanned success as she was.

* * *

Yessenia smirked as she ripped off the bottom half of her dress, her exclamation loud and sudden, "Finally its time for some action!"

The crowd of criminals that the group of teens had been currently distracting jumped back in a startled manner, their hands flying into suit jackets to retrieve their guns. At once, the superhero teens dropped their instruments and took up fighting positions, Yessenia standing in front of the boys. As the bullets hailed towards the group, the Amazonian girl deflected them with her bracelets, her arms held high.

As she protected the boys from the deadly ballistics, they each pulled out their hidden weapons to join her in battle. From underneath his suit jacket, Noah revealed his utility belt and unearthed his batarangs, flinging them at the assailants' firearms.

"Shoot them you morons!" The sound of Penguin's British voice traveled throughout the room from his balcony spot above them. The man leaned over the edge with his umbrella in hand as he pointed the tip towards the teens, as if he needed to point them out to the minor criminals. After his outburst, the villain stumbled trying to escape the balcony into a secluded and safe area.

"Logan, go after him!" Yessenia directed, her arms still up to protect the boys. Following her orders without hesitation, the eldest bolted after the assailant, leaving Yessenia, Oliver, and Noah to deal with the rest of the attackers.

After his figure disappeared from her view safely, Yessenia opened up her mouth to belt out an eerie canary scream, temporarily deafening the criminals. When all of their guns clattered to the floor, the two boys ran out from behind the Amazon.

Oliver vaulted over one of the round tables on the main floor as he took our his twin pistols from his coat jacket. Using his momentum as leverage, the mixed teen slid towards two attackers and kicked them in their chest, successfully knocking them down to the floor. "Time to say goodnight," the technician teased lightly, proud of his cliche superhero quip. He stood over the two men as he shot them with his nonlethal, tranquilizer bullets, before he turned to the rest of the room.

Not surprisingly, Noah had also vanished from the stage's blaring lights, inserting himself into the fight. He made sure he was no one near Yessenia as she shrieked her frightening notes or tossed her shield onto unsuspecting felons and instead chose to stick to the outskirts. As a man fired his gun at the necromancer, the boy used his powers to travel behind the attacker through the shadows, before smashing the man's head against the wall.

* * *

McKenzie thumbed through the manila folders inside the filing cabinet as she hoped to find more incriminating evidence against the Penguin and his crew. "Does he not document anything?" She whined in a whisper at herself, her search not going according to plan. Even though Raja was currently keeping watch outside the office for any attackers, she was still too nervous to speak above a murmur for fear of getting caught.

It didn't take long before the serpent moved onto his desktop, her fingers pressing against the keys wildly as she searched up certain key words on his hard drive. She repeated words of encouragement to herself in hopes that it would help her find any source of evidence quicker.

Meanwhile, outside the office door, Raja stood watch as he impatiently waited, and mentally begged, for any confrontation. The Indian boy was slightly upset, to say at the least. Despite training for weeks on end and proving himself more than capable to win fights against the most dangerous malefactors, he was once again waiting for action in a ridiculous costume.

As the boy internally fumed about his missions' roles, the Penguin hobbled past him, quickly followed by Logan. They soon disappeared from his site down a hallway exit, which caused the boy to debate whether he should leave his station of standing guard to go join the medic. Finally he came to the conclusion of staying put, believing that the serpent would be in more harm's way of being cornered in a tiny office by a herd of attackers than Logan would be following a lone man.

* * *

 **I wanted to cut this chapter in half so that you all would be getting a lighthearted addition to the story (hence the park scene; thanks for all the ideas for that, they were helpful!). The next chapter will properly introduce a new team member that you guys were given a glimpse of in this one, and will probably have more of that M rated angst you all wanted.**

 **Let me know if you guys have any wants, needs, suggestions, ideas, or anything else, whether they are your character centric or not. Hopefully you all enjoyed this chapter, so let me know what you think!**


	9. Chapter 9

**Iceberg Lounge**

 **August 27, 2017**

 **18:56**

It wasn't long before Raja realized that his choice to stay along with McKenzie was for the better, a handful of guards soon making their presence known. Without hesitation, the older boy outstretched his arm to stop them from entering the villain's preoccupied office.

"Go back to your station," one of them spat out angrily as he shoved Raja's arm out of his way, reminding the hero of his uniformed attire. He supposed that the smartest response to the situation would have been to lie to the group, perhaps claiming that he was already in charge of watching the office, but ultimately, he decided against the thought. Instead, he snatched the hand of the assailant who pushed his arm aside and snapped the joint backwards until a loud _crack_ resonated through the small hallway.

 _Finally, time for some action,_ Raja thought to himself, a ghost of a smile spread across his determined face. Before the three other guards could successfully remove their pistols from their coat pockets, Raja took two of their skulls in opposite hands and bashed them together. With a heavy thud onto the carpeted floor beneath them, both bodies lay still.

With an almost excited look, Raja's eyes snapped back up onto the remaining criminal. The said man shared brief eye contact with the Muslim boy before he turned to escape the narrow hallway, his gun long forgotten.

"Cute," Raja breathed in a taunting manner, extending his right arm ahead of his body. Even though the delinquent was at least twenty-five feet away from the younger boy, he still collapsed to the ground. Surprised, the man eyed what had originally tripped him—a tree root.

"That's not possible," he muttered as fear filled his stare. Even though common logic was in his favor that a tree's root would not be present indoors, Raja's powers begged to differ. From off his arm, Raja's botanical tattoo had escaped from his skin and dashed across the area, resulting in the man's current position.

Raja's march towards the villain was steady, his arm raised at his side slightly in a threatening manner. With wide eyes, the criminal watched the tattoo unwind from around his leg and snake back up onto Raja's arm underneath the boy's clothing. The hero closed the distance between himself and his target before lifting the smaller male up off the ground and forcing his back against the wall.

 _Hopefully I can get him to confess to the robbery._ His least favorite part about being on the new team was the inclination they had for gathering concrete evidence, following a strict set of rules, and the microphone they were forced to add to their costumes; however, the microphone would be more than useful if he were able to make the man talk.

"Why did Cobblepot steal the-" He was cut off as McKenzie rushed towards the duo, her hands tightly gripping Raja's shoulders as she removed him from the assailant. Without even realizing it, the young Muslim had somewhat strangled the man with his shirt's collar, restricting his breathing ability greatly.

Once more, a body toppled onto the ground with an audible _thud._ He followed McKenzie's gaze back at all three attackers, Raja witnessing that they were all clearly incapacitated. With a staunch edge laced in his voice, he spoke to the small girl, "They are criminals, I didn't think I needed to go gentle on them."

"You don't need to choke one out either, they are still people," McKenzie argued lightly, her arms crossing over her chest. As the sudden action unfolded, Raja could see the manila folder she had in her grip. This was the evidence they needed to officially arrest their suspect.

* * *

 _There's a whole other team of superheroes here..._ her mental statement shocked even Victoria as the younger boy ushered her over to three other teens. They, just like her own team, were clad in the Iceberg Lounge's working uniform whilst they were undercover. The boy with water powers leaned in close to his group.

"Cobblepot is defiantly our guy; princess over there managed to get confessions from his crew," he informed them as he gestured over his own shoulder. Their four stares narrowed in on Victoria as their eyebrows raised in suspicion at her presence. One of the females, who was obviously older than her lone female team mate, turned to Victoria in order to speak to the Italian.

"Would you be willing to release your recording for his case file we are working on?" The eldest girl asked, her eyes scrutinizing Victoria. While the woman spoke to the archer, she hastily put her wavy black hair up in a bun, which showcased a gold engraved bracelet adorning one of her wrists. The small detail caused Victoria's head to tilt in consideration at the engraved name as she pondered about its significance, or more importantly, how she could use it against the older woman.

The archer met her eyes once more before speaking to her. "I don't think you all are qualified-"

The same boy from before suddenly spoke, interrupting Victoria before she could finish her sentence. "Batman gave this mission to us, is that good enough for you?" His tone was overly confident, his pride showing through each syllable he enunciated. His hands were placed openly on his hips, a smug expression gracing his features.

At the Dark Knight's mention Victoria's eyebrows furrowed together tightly. _But Batman was the one who sent the case file to McKenzie... Why would he share this information with other teenaged superheroes, especially ones the team doesn't know about?_ It seemed as though her mind moved ten miles a minute as she attempted to construct a reasoning as to why the other group was here.

"But," another boy started, successfully taking Victoria out of her thoughts, "-who exactly are you and the others?" The archer wasn't used to being interrogated by others, and it made her feel uneasy. The smaller individual wasn't cruel with his questioning though, and he seemed far more polite than the other boy; however, his question did spark something within the huntress trainee. _Who exactly are we if they are Batman's 'team'?_

* * *

Yessenia used the back of her Wonder Woman shield to knock down the final assailant, a soft grunt escaping her lips in the process as fatigue started to set in. As she panted, she turned to look at both Noah and Oliver, both boys busying themselves in disarming the unconscious individuals in the theatre space.

As he kicked away the last gun in the criminals' reach, Oliver reloaded his own weapon before placing it back in his hip holster. The mixed teen smirked joyously as Noah joined his side near the Amazonian princess, "That went better than I expected," he commented aloud.

Yessenia couldn't help but agree with the technician. After Raja and Oliver joined the team, their missions' success became untouched as they won every battle they were in. It gave the young Amazonian hope in the upcoming, and horribly unavoidable, mission against Death she was sure they would face.

"Good job Beta squad," her words were slow and carefully chosen as she looked around the room, realizing that Logan had not returned from his chase. As she returned her shield to her tactical back strap, she directed the two boys, "Let's go and see if Logan detained the Penguin yet."

 _Hopefully he is okay, we don't want a repeat of the Captain Boomerang_ _incident_. Even the memory of the old mission sent shivers down her back, further convincing herself to find the eldest.

* * *

 _Victoria couldn't help but yell at the eldest team mate as she forced him on a medical cot, "Stupid! Thoughtless and fucking stupid!" Her words were angry, not thinking much before she stammered them aloud._

 _No matter how many times she had asked him if he had been alright, he had consistently lied to her with a measly 'nothing I can't stitch up myself'. After two days of constant vomiting and bleeding through various sweaters did Victoria catch up on the lie._

 _"I'm sorry-" she cut him off with a sharp look before he could apologize to her once more. She was more than angry with him and his disregard for his own health, especially since he had fussed about a sprained wrist Yessenia had received and a darkened bruise lengthened up McKenzie's right arm._

 _Her expression soon turned soft as his eyes went downcast to glance at his own wound. Throughout his minor apology, Victoria had taken it upon herself to lift the hem of his hooded sweatshirt to treat the abdominal wound, which revealed the deep laceration._

 _Victoria could tell that he attempted to stitch the injury to the best of his ability through shaking hands and twitching fingers, resulting in rough and abrasive stitch work. By now, the laceration had become infected._

 _"Why didn't you tell anybody?" Her question still contained anger laced in her voice._

 _"Why would I?" Victoria's eyes snapped up quickly to meet Logan's. They were silent for a minute as she tried to conceal her upset reaction._

 _Victoria released his shirt slowly before she continued their conversation. "Why shouldn't you?" She argued back in a low voice._

 _He sighed through his nose before retrieving a first aid kit near the cot. As he took out a bottle of disinfectant and new gauze strips, he replied to the younger girl's inquiry. "Because I'm supposed to be looking out for you and the others, not the other way around," his confession brought a frown to Victoria's face as she took in the admittance._

 _The EMT reapplied the gauze after cleaning the wound carefully. At the notice of her frown, he added a question to his explanation,"If you found out your doctor couldn't treat a cold, would you trust him enough to operate on your failing heart?"_

 _But, Victoria mentally bickered with him, the doctor was stabbed with a razor bladed boomerang, not suffering from the flu. She didn't argue with him though, and just watched as he retreated out of the medical area back to the cave. She hoped that his infection would get better._

* * *

Logan quickly skid to a stop as he closed the distance between him and the malefactor in a closed off VIP room. The British man turned to the taller medic, disdain in his eyes as he sized the hero up and down briefly.

"There's no where left to run, Mr. Cobblepot," Logan informed in a polite manner, his right hand inching towards his utility belt pocket to retrieve a pair of handcuffs. As Logan neared the assailant with the restraints, the EMT read the man his Miranda Rights, "You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law. You have the rig-"

"Shove it, you bloody moron," the interruption was quickly followed by an upwards jab with the Penguin's umbrella end, the accessory striking Logan on his cheek. The medic had little time to recover before the Gotham villain took a batting stance, a harsh swing colliding with the man's temple and eye area.

Logan stumbled back for a moment with an annoyed look on his face. _Do I have a face that reads 'hit me' or something? I wasn't even going to attack him_ _,_ the thought was bitter and filled with agitation.

Piqued at the feeling of blood cascading out of his wound, the usually passive man didn't hesitate before attacking the shorter law breaker. With an irritated and flustered expression spread across his rugged features, he snatched the arm accessory out of the Penguin's grip before turning the weapon against its wielder with a directed blow in the center of his chest.

The Penguin's grunt was loud, pain evident through a strangled cry. "Little shit," the criminal croaked as his arms held his body in attempt to lessen his anguish. As if to get revenge for his own lack of reaction time between assaults, the hero was quick in his next strafe. Logan held the villain's cranium lightly with his left hand before pulling the skull closer to his knee, clashing the two together abrasively.

Just as the malefactor hit the rugged floor, the VIP doors opened to reveal Yessenia, Noah, and Oliver, the leading lady looking concerned. However, Yessenia's concern was soon replaced with relief as she spotted her victorious team mate cuffing their suspect to a rooted bar, seemingly all in one piece. She released a breath she didn't know she was holding, her grasp on her sword's handle dropping.

With her weapon forgotten, she marched closer to the medic to inspect his raw and mangled face. "That'll be a nice bruise in the morning," her comment was humor packed and directed towards his, now swollen, cheek bone and socket ridge. At the sound of a soft chuckle at the end of her statement, her anxiety decreased once again.

"Is everyone okay?" Logan asked the smaller group, mentally inspecting each of their bodies for any lacerations or deceitfully hidden injuries. Unknowingly, he spent the longest time surveying the youngest team member, who only recently recovered from an injury.

Under the older man's gaze, Noah provided the medic with a tamed 'yes' response, whereas the lone female member smirked wickedly. "Yeah, we aren't little bitches like you," Yessenia taunted in a joking matter, a smile wide across her face as she exposed her joy. With a shake of the head, Logan only smiled in riposte.

* * *

 **Mount Justice**

 **August 27, 2017**

 **22:34**

 _"_ Stealth branch?!" Victoria nearly shouted in an upset tone, one of her hands resting comfortably on her hip while the other was pointed upwards in Batman's direction. Normally, the young archer would hold a more respective vocal expression when in sights of the esteemed Justice League founder; however, she was unable to bite back the remark in retaliation of his confession.

In a cool and monotone voice, the older man responded to the girl, "The stealth branch-" he paused, looking over at those indicated teens standing uncomfortably behind him, "-will be joining the official team until further notice." He didn't wait for any reaction before turning away from the teens in pursuit of the Zeta-Tubes.

After receiving a sharp glance from Yessenia, Noah rushed to catch up to his grandfather figure. As the team watched his retreating figure flee the room, their focus quickly shifted towards the newcomers.

 _Stealth branch?_ Victoria's thoughts were just as bitter as her physical words were. _Why did Batman form two teams? Why did he join us together?_ To her, there seemed to be no logic in the Dark Knight's actions.

Her thoughts were interrupted as McKenzie spoke aloud, "What do we do now?" Her eyes glossed over to look at the unofficial leader, uncertainty swimming through her orbs.

The group shared looks with one another, each waiting for someone else to speak. Ultimately, Oliver was the one who spoke up first, a tentative hand placed gently on the small of Logan's back. "I'm going to help Pretty Boy over here treat his face," the taller man informed the others. During normal circumstances, the medic might have argued, but the stiff atmosphere in the room convinced him to allow Oliver to guide him away.

"Oh, are they a couple?" The girl with the golden bracelet from before asked when the two boys had successfully exited the room. Now that the team was safe from any danger, they were able to take in the woman's features. She was of Turkish decent, her long and wavy black hair glistening in the well-lit room as her dark brown eyes awaited a reply.

"Who cares if they are?" The other unknown girl retorted towards her friend. The obviously younger girl crossed her arms over her chest, a stoic expression spread across her features. She looked similar to the Turkish woman with only a handful of minor differences. Their hair was the same in appearance; however, the younger girl's hair was longer by many inches. The younger girl also had blue eyes instead of brown, and held sharper features in comparison to the woman.

Before Victoria could intervene with the miniture angered teen, an older man stepped in between the two females. "Knock it off Dani, you don't need to always be starting fights with Alyn," his voice was uneven in tone as he tried disciplining the two.

Dani, the younger of the three, simply snorted in response.

* * *

Noah paused in front of his adopted grandfather, his head pressed upwards to meet the billionaire's masked eyes. Batman stared down at him with a skeptical eyebrow raised, his fingers flying across the Zeta-Tube's keyboard.

"B," Noah greeted, his hands instantly wringing together in nervousness. He wasn't typically anxious around the vigilante, but he couldn't help this feeling as the Dark Knight's gaze peered into the necromancer. "Did you really not trust us to get the information on Cobblepot's case?"

The diviner knew that he was the only one who would be able to get an honest answer from the Justice League founder. With a low and begruntled voice, Batman answered his newest family member, "They were there for your protection."

Almost instantly, Noah knew what the man was referring to. It was no secret to the league that Death himself had made a horrifying introduction to the teenaged team, a threat in place for the team's members.

The necromancer watched as Batman stepped on the Zeta-Tube platform. The distant man's eyes faltered for a brief second as he stared down at the younger bat, his mind shifting through the constant deaths he endured throughout his existence. Even though the billionaire knew that Noah was hurt from the deceivement, he didn't change his judgement. It was for his own protection.

"See you later B," Noah murmured as the white light surrounded his grandfather. It wasn't long before the number of bats located in the base decreased to one lone member.

* * *

Oliver's fingers traced the socket ridge of Logan's face, his eyes scrutinizing the older man in attempt to find evidence of a break. His touch was incredibly light as he pressed against the medic.

"I'm fine Oliver, it's just a black eye," Logan reasoned, his gaze focused on the ceiling. Usually the technician would reply back smartly, but he only hummed in response to the EMT's claim. His fingers then hovered over to the lacerated cheek bone.

Logan flinched for a hesitant moment at the painful tap, his face contorting briefly. The flicker of pain caused Oliver to look down at the medic in concern, their eyes meeting.

Despite the fact that Oliver stood above a seated Logan, their positions seemed close, their face only inches apart. "Are you sure your cheekbone isn't fractured?" Oliver asked in low voice, his face getting closer to further inspect the injured area.

Heat rose to the EMT's face as it flushed a nervous red, his gaze quickly leaving Oliver and returning back towards the medical Bay's ceiling. Only one word resounded in the slavic's mind– _fuck._

However, it seemed as though the technician didn't notice Logan's jittery behavior and instead chose to continue inspecting the man. Oliver's hand traveled towards the back of Logan's neck as he slowly craned the other's head to get a better angle of the injury. Their eyes locked once more.

 _Fuck._ Logan pushed away from the mixed teen before standing up abruptly. His face was still red and his eyes refused to meet Oliver's. "I better go check on Yessenia," Logan spoke too quickly, leaving the room in a hurry to escape the technician's stare.

* * *

Yessenia watched as the 'stealth' branch argued loudly amongst one another. Despite changing settings from the debriefing area to the lounge, Dani's grumbles still continued as the water-powered boy challenged her.

"Come on Barbie, it was only a matter of time before we joined the official team," he commented, his eyes resting on Dani as he dubbed her 'Barbie'. Yessenia had quickly picked up on the slightly sexist attitude of the newest boy and the uncomfortable manner in which both Dani and Alyn reacted to him.

With her hands balled up at their sides, Yessenia grit her teeth in order not to snap at the Hispanic boy. His attitude reminded the Amazonian princess why men were not allowed on Themiscyra.

Before she could retort in favor of the mild-mannered Dani, the other boy spoke up first. "Angel, we talked about this..." His voice wasn't the only soft feature on the man. Even though most gingers appeared vibrant, the man's hair was light and tamed, his appearance looking overly basic. In addition, the man's eyes, which were a shade of subtle blue, looked kind.

Yessenia's hands unclenched as the ginger handled Angel; however, she still forced herself to bite back her tongue. Her eyes tried to meet Victoria's, who sat in her usual spot on the couch, but the archer's gaze was fixated on her video game. Despite that, Yessenia could see her friend's jaw lock periodically each time Angel had spoke.

"Hey, Mack?" Yessenia called attention to the reserved demigod, who had been previously reading a book. The serpent nodded upwards without looking at Yessenia, still showing that she was listening to the powered teen.

"Yes?" McKenzie replied as she still flipped through the pages of her documented text.

It was at this point that Yessenia noticed that the newcomers had filtered out the two's minor conversation to better partake in their own. She gestured over towards her room, before doing the same motion for Noah, Raja, and Victoria to spot.

* * *

Once they all stumbled inside of Yessenia's room, the Amazonian closed the door quietly. In a whisper, she spoke to the core team members, "Does anybody else find their presence...weird?"

"Batman said it was for our protection," Noah relayed the information he pried out from his grandfather in an equally low whisper. His purple eyes shifted onto each team members' face to witness their reactions to the news.

Raja shook his head in disbelief as he ventured deeper in the Amazonian's room. "There is something he isn't telling us," the Muslim pointed out in a strained tone. Raja couldn't help but to feel angered by the situation, the immense hours spent training coming back to life in his mind.

 _If the aspect of two teams had been so important to Batman, why did he combine them at the first opportunity he had?_ Noah ran a hand through his gelled hair in thought. Never before had he struggled to trust the Dark Knight and his actions, but the new additions to the team confused the detective.

 _What type of detective am I if I can't even figure out why Bruce didn't tell me about his stealth team... Or why I wasn't apart of it?_ Noah was a bat, after all, and every aspect of the bat family's life revolved around grunt detective work as well as stealthily completing missions.

The necromancer wasn't the only one confused about the new additions. Everybody stuffed in Yessenia's room paced around in thought, each nervous tick becoming evident to the more observant members.

Yessenia stood up straight, her hand faltering to her hip where her golden lasso usually sat, "Can we trust them?"

Each member exchanged glances, nonverbal conversations striking between them at the thought. It wasn't until now that the girls pondered over the trust they had with the boys, as both of them were technically new to the team as well.

 _How can we trust Noah, Raja, or Oliver when they were all recently added to the team as well?_ Victoria's non-trusting nature poked through her facade as she inspected each male. Her gaze met McKenzie's and Yessenia's and instantly she could tell they were thinking the same thing she was.

"Can we?" McKenzie repeated, her stare directed at Victoria.

* * *

 **I am really sorry for the late (and short) update, but hopefully you guys liked it nonetheless. As per usual, I have some questions I would like for you all to answer:**

 **1\. What is one insecurity that your character has, either physical, emotional, or mental wise?**

 **2\. Anything angst-related you want me to add for your character/other characters?**

 **3\. What is your character's medical history like? Let me know of any severe occurences/medications taken and why they are taking it/emergency contacts/etc. You may private message this part to me if you wish to keep it secret.**

 **If you have any additional ideas or thoughts, please let me know, as they are always helpful when writing new chapters.**


	10. Chapter 10

**Gotham High**

 **August 28, 2017**

 **11:19**

Victoria's hand darted up, her famous smirk plastered across her face. Before her instructor could properly call on her for the answer, the young technology enthusiast belted it out anyway, "Core i5 CPUs have four processors."

The hacker didn't need her computer teacher's approval to know her answer was correct. After all, Victoria could rebuild the technology blindfolded accurately. At the site of her instructor's reassuring smile, Victoria's attention shifted towards her phone, which rested peacefully in the center of her lap.

Yessenia had been texting her all morning with news over the newer teammates, especially Angel, who the Amazonian had grown a strong disliking for. Even though the Hispanic boy had only been on the team for a little under twenty-four hours, he had been so adamant with his sexist tendencies that Yessenia admitted contemplating murdering the boy.

Victoria chuckled as she read the Amazonian's update: _If I kill him, I'm sure Zeus would have a party in my honor._ As the sound bubbled out of the Italian's throat, her teacher sent her a directed look, an eyebrow raised high.

"Sorry," Victoria muttered, a hand over her mouth to stop her laughter. Before her teacher could retort, or even chastise her, the bell rang. "See you tomorrow!" The archer exclaimed with a wide grin as she collected her belongings. As she picked up her book bag, she sent a hasty reply to her friend.

Victoria found herself apologizing once more as she collided with another figure attempting to maneuver through the hallway. Her focus shifted from her handheld device up to a boy, who smiled down at her politely. It wasn't until he had doubled over that Victoria realized that she had dropped her class work.

"I'm sorry!" Victoria repeated, dropping down as well to gather the scattered material. "I wasn't paying attention," the archer elaborated as if she needed to explain the reasoning behind her clumsy actions.

With a grin, he replied back to her, "That's okay Veronica!" His words caused her to stumble unceremoniously once more, but he seemed not to notice that he called her by the wrong name. Without skipping a beat, he continued to speak, "I have to get to class!"

Waving, he quickly entered a classroom, leaving Victoria by herself. _I need to work on not being so invisible..._ she thought to herself as she fixed the placement of her bag. Only the hero could be news headlines one day but called out of name the next. She sighed, suddenly wishing she was with Yessenia dealing with the newer team members.

* * *

 **Mount Justice**

 **August 28, 2017**

 **11:24**

Yessenia stretched her limbs meticulously, her arms spread apart as well as her legs. She bent over to the side slightly, her muscles contorting.

"Is this really the best idea?" Raja asked the group, his eyebrow raised in questioning. Yessenia stopped her stretch, her hand finding its way to rest on her popped out hip. The Amazonian struggled not to roll her eyes at the older boy's question.

"Yes. Logan isn't here to stop us," Noah answered in a pinpoint way, his stretch still continuing briefly.

"And because he isn't here currently, that makes it okay for you four to try fighting a horde of zombies?" Raja challenged in a mix of both a nonchalant but interested manner. The group of heroes met glances, formulating their respective responses of either 'absolutely', 'yeah', and 'of course'. The eldest sighed in response, knowing that any logic he would attempt to say would only be ignored by the young teenagers.

Even though the tension in the room was still thick from the newcomers presence, Yessenia and Noah had still invited Dani and Angel to join their experiment. Almost immediately, the two teens agreed, excited at the thought of 'fighting zombies'. "You know Raja, it isn't too late to join us," Noah offered with a smirk, his arms outstretched in front of him.

Raja simply rolled his eyes in response. "You guys are going to get hurt," was his prediction.

Noah shrugged, his smile not leaving his face. It had been a while since he was able to use his powers, especially in such a respectful environment. _An environment where the people don't see me as a monster,_ Noah internalized. He shook the dark thoughts out of his head somewhat physically before finding a balance of calmness.

The teen didn't hesitate any longer, his irises leaving his eyes as his powers called for the decaying bodies. For a moment, the room was just eerily silent and still, nobody moving. The temperature decreased in the slightest before dropping violently, causing the room's occupants to shiver unexpectedly, including Raja, who had found camp at the room's side bench.

"¡Oh, mierda!" Angel screamed out as a fractured limb grabbed for his foot.

"Calm down!" Dani snapped back forcefully. She maneuvered closer to the Mexican boy, stomping onto the hand that frightened him. Her action immediately had consequences: the training room's lights flickered before channeling themselves completely off.

Yessenia turned to face Noah's concentrated form, "How long do you think you can keep this up?" She asked him, midst fighting the horde of separated appendages. The boy already appeared weak, sweat glistening off his forehead. The horde became more difficult to fight off with each pressing second, the limbs grabbing the teens to pull them down.

Noah stumbled through his words, far more concentrated on keeping his powers activated. "A couple minutes at max," he confessed.

The experiment itself was to test Noah's strength and time management when it came to the usually unused power, as well as how useful the tactic could truly be. His confession though was nothing more than a speculation, as the power was not one hundred percent perfected yet. He struggled to keep his arms up.

Even though Dani was battling nearly half of her leg, which had become infested with the undead's touch, she fared better than both Yessenia and Angel. The two had been tackled by the assortment of limbs, their arms and legs thrashing wildly in attempts of recovery.

Raja watched on from the side, his eyebrows furrowed as he watched the apparently strenuous task weaken the necromancer. "Noah-" Raja warned, standing up and taking a step forward. The zombie body attachments attempted to strangle Raja the closer he got to the boy. "Noah," the Muslim boy tried again, struggling to reach the diviner.

Noah's irises returned only for his eyelids to shut quickly, his body stumbling onto the ground unceremoniously. Dani, being the closest to the now passed out team member, caught him mid fall. The zombie limbs were now gone, the temperature in the room increasing slowly and the lights dimming up.

* * *

 **Blackgate Prison**

 **August 28, 2017**

 **12:00**

Oliver tapped his slender fingers on the desk in front of him, his eyes focusing past the plexiglass window and onto the figure sitting down on the opposite end.

The man across from the technician picked up the old-style phone before speaking. "Hey Ollie," the voice was strained and tired, but still held the same authoritative tone it always had.

"Hey dad," Oliver greeted. The man let out a breath of humor before leaning closer to the glass separating the two. The man's brightly colored garment reflected off the divider, making the darkened prisoner number strike out more in comparison. "How's it going?" The mixed teen asked comfortably.

This scene was not new to the technician. For most of his life, the only way Oliver could speak to his dad was in a set up similar to this: two wired phones going through the physical barrier between them, a plethora of armed guards awaiting for their meeting to be finished, and the darkened gaze his father shed upon Oliver.

"Food still sucks," the man quipped, his eyes settling on an officer as he spoke. The look was accusing, an eyebrow raised in a defensive manner. The next phrase was directed towards the correctional worker, "Would it kill you assholes to add some seasoning?"

The silence that resulted from the exclamation wasn't unheard of either. The hero's father was known for his abundant amount of complaints and staff jokes, which, at this point in the man's sentencing, didn't faze the guards any longer.

Oliver smirked lightly, his seating position shifting to find comfort in the unstable prison chair. His eyes stayed on his father's figure, surveying every detail of the adult for any sign of negativity.

"When you get out I'll make sure you have some paprika," Oliver joked with a large grin, his head shaking ever so slightly in amusement. The man chortled loudly, looking back at the guards once more when he did. He knew visitation time was almost over and the glance of threat and warning he bestowed to them was heavy.

When one of the guards tapped his watch lightly, the criminal turned to look back at Oliver with a small frown. With another nasty glance towards the officers and a flip of the middle finger, the man continued his conversation.

"How're you liking the team kid? They treating you good?" Some of the man's words had cuts at the end, making the thin accent appear heavier. Oliver grinned widely, excited that he finally got to speak about his newly made friends to his dad in person, instead of in letters.

Oliver stood up straight, his hands at his side displaying happy gestures as he spoke rapidly. "They are great Pops! I feel like I finally fit in when I'm with them," Oliver's confession made the man smile lightly. "I just know you would love Yessenia, you two would get along really great! Not to mention Victoria!" The teen couldn't contain himself, his diction only getting more adrenalized with each passing second.

At the mention of the girls' names, the prisoner smirked widely, leaning even closer to the glass. Almost immediately, Oliver stumbled back in his seat a bit, shaking his head vigorously with an even bigger smirk than his father's. "Come on dad, you know I'm pathetically in love with Raja," Oliver joked lightly, changing the subject away from the two girls.

"Lawton," The sound of the two's conjoined last name caused both of them to look up. During their conversation, the warden had been ushered down to force the deadly assassin back into his cell. "I'm getting really tired of your shit Deadshot. Get your ass up and back in the cell," the warden's tough demeanor resulted in a dramatic eye roll from the criminal.

"Don't bother showing up next week," Deadshot said to his son, before winking in the mixed teen's direction, "I have a feeling my visitation rights are about to be suspended." With that said, the criminal threw up his fists, successfully hitting the guard closest to him square in the face. As the fighting continued, Oliver stood up with a soft chuckle, exiting the room.

* * *

 **Mount Justice**

 **August 28, 2017**

 **14:09**

Victoria hummed along to the music Yessenia was playing, both girls laid down on the younger girl's bed. The Italian girl closed her eyes peacefully and allowed the violin's medley to course through her. "You're a really good player," Victoria complimented, her eyes still closed and her head swaying back and forth lightly. Yessenia only nodded curtly and stiffly, too afraid to make large movements that would ruin her song.

Victoria continued talking, content with just having her best friend around to listen to her words. "I'm thinking of joining the prom committee," the archer confessed. Somewhere during her sentence, her eyes had fluttered open and found focus on the Amazon's ceiling. The glow-in-the-dark stars sticking to Yessenia's ceiling appeared dull and lifeless in the light, just like the stars were when they were originally putting them up.

The older girl smiled lightly at the memory before picking herself up into a seated position. It seemed like only yesterday that Yessenia had joined the team; the Amazon moving in to the base.

* * *

 _Yessenia entered the living room loudly, startling its occupants. With a heavy thud, the Amazonian princess and warrior dropped her bags on the floor, her sword making its way from her hands to her hip. "I am Yessenia Prince of Themscyra, I joyously join your team," she said with a smile, her free hand placing a violin case carefully on the floor next to her other belongings._

 _"We were expecting you," Logan replied after the initial shock of her entrance, a smile worn on his face. "Let me show you to your room. Do you need any help with your stuff?" The medic stood up from his position on the couch, quickly followed by McKenzie and Victoria._

 _Victoria watched on in mild interest as the newcomer squinted her eyes at the male, a look of suspicion spread across her features. It took a moment before the girl allowed Logan to help her. It didn't surprise Victoria much, as she heard that Yessenia only experienced the male presence of either gods or...well Green Arrow._

 _As the medic ushered the princess to her assigned bedroom, McKenzie and Victoria followed closely behind like lost puppies might, interest gleaming in their eyes at Yessenia. When they reached the heavy and metallic room door, Yessenia was quick to open it, excitement filling her to her core._

 _The lights were turned on before they even entered, making the room appear bright. It was mostly empty, save for an undressed bed and lone working desk, the space large. Yessenia placed her belongings on her newly assigned mattress before she turned back towards the others._

 _McKenzie excitedly looked over at Logan. "Can we show her now?" The serpent's question was innocent, her expression shy but wild all at once. Before anybody gave any sort of acknowledgement, Victoria flicked the lights off. The once lifeless ceiling illuminated a pale green._

 _"Is that-?" Yessenia knew the answer before she even finished her question. The constellations above her were the same stars that shone down at her while living on Themscyra, she was sure of it. "I-" The girl stuttered, her previously stoic and reserved attitude gone._

 _"We spent all last night putting them up for you. We figured you'd be homesick," Victoria shyly admitted, her eyes following Yessenia's. The archer was proud of their handiwork and even more proud that it managed to make an Amazonian starstruck. "Hopefully we put them on correctly. It took us a while to find a map of the-" Victoria began to explain the never-ending process of the stars' application, but fell short when the Amazonian girl clutched onto her tightly, her arms wrapped around the girl's frame._

 _"Thank you," Yessenia whispered in her ear. It wasn't long before she backed away from the older girl, a grin practically spread on her face from ear to ear. "All of you," she continued, looking towards both the serpent and the medic. She took her sword off her hip and tossed it onto her bed, all the while her eyes focusing once more on the bright ceiling. All of her anxiety about joining the new team was gone._

* * *

Yessenia stopped moving her bow. "Prom committee, huh?" She asked in a flirtatious manner, a smirk stretched across her face. The Amazonian hugged her instrument close to her chest as she propped herself up into a more formal sitting position.

Victoria shrugged in response, an equally wicked smirk absent from her own face. "Yeah, I think it'll look good on college applications and stuff," Victoria explained her reasoning, her hand waving in the air next to as she spoke as if to emphasis her point. The Italian failed to mention that the _and stuff_ was to prove to herself she wasn't just a superhero, but also a teen.

 _And maybe if I join the committee, people will start recognizing me and my face,_ Victoria thought to herself, biting the corner of her lip in thought. She wouldn't admit it, but her peer's mistake from earlier in the day had made the girl insecure. _Half of me is this important and influential hero but the other half of me is a nameless nobody... hopefully not for long..._

Yessenia instantly noticed Victoria's internal battle, her practice long forgotten. "Are you sure that it won't be too much work? You already seem too stressed and busy," the girl noted, care and concern etched in her words. Victoria debated telling her friend the memory of earlier that day, or even the memory of her bullies affirming her belief that _Victoria_ is a nobody, but ultimately decided against it. It wasn't worth mentioning. It didn't matter.

A chuckle escaped Victoria's throat, "I can do it. It isn't too much work, I promise!" She knew her promise was empty; it being more of a hope than an actual confirmation.

Yessenia looked skeptical, her eyes narrowed in thought. Victoria appeared sincere, her unsure promise and plans seemingly perfect for her to endure. "Okay," Yessenia breathed out slowly, her eyebrows furrowing slightly, "but take it easy. You still need time off from this-" she gestured around to illustrate the hero work they were both employed in, "-and from school. Don't overwork yourself."

Victoria smiled reassuringly. "I won't, I promise," she retorted.

* * *

 **Star City Police Department**

 **August 28, 2017**

 **17:50**

The red-haired man stared down at the leading suspect, taking in miniscuil details about the dark-haired woman.

"I did not kill my husband!" She cried out, her face buried in her hands as tears freely flowed down her chin. She sat in a stable chair in the precinct's interrogation room, her leg bobbing up and down at a speed that would make the Flash jealous.

"You're saying your husband killed himself?" Sam asked, pacing the length of the small room. She nodded dubiously, her tear-stained face accepting the off duty hero's question as fact. Sam continued pacing briefly, before sitting in a chair opposite of the woman. "I'm so sorry for your loss," the man apologized, his eyes still scrutinizing the woman's actions.

She took a sip of her drink, only nodding in response. This was all he needed.

Without further word exchanges, Sam stood up to leave the room. As he exited the tiny area and came face to face with the sheriff, he spoke gruffly, "She shot him."

The sheriff looked back out into the room from the one-sided mirror, watching as the woman closed her eyes and relaxed her previously still position. "How do you know this time?" She asked the taller man, staring up at him for a moment. Sam's gaze followed the sheriff's, before trailing down to the now empty cup in the room.

"She picked up her drink with her left hand," he simplified.

The sheriff, impressed, crossed her arms over her chest and asked, "Why does that matter?"

Sam pushed one of his hands into his suit jacket's pocket, his other hand pointing out the cup for the officer to inspect. "She's left-handed and so is the killer. If her husband actually committed suicide, then the gun would be in his right hand, not his left," the short explanation was trivial, but sound. The forensic psychologist shoved his other hand into his pocket as well before stalking off out of the precinct.

He did his job, now the police task force needs to do theirs.

* * *

 **Mount Justice**

 **August 29, 2017**

 **02:12**

Logan chuckled lightly under his breath as he read the television captions for the cartoon he was currently watching. The non-English dialect of the American cartoon was amusing, to say at the least, especially with the numerous mistranslations.

Although his uniformed hat had been tossed onto the couch in a neat manner, the rest of his uniform was still intact. It was obvious that he had just returned from work, the only thing on his mind being a coffee refill and a bowl of cereal to keep him occupied as the rest of the team slept peacefully in their respected rooms.

It wasn't long before the lone member was greeted by another, McKenzie entering the living room. Her feet were dragging against the floor, a scuffle sound erupting from her paled pink slippers. Logan turned around at the sound, instantly spotting the younger team mate.

"Is everything okay?" He asked her, his expression turning concerned. Normally, he would be the only member up this late, so her arrival was nothing short of alarming.

Logan placed his bowl on the nearest flat surface to him before redirecting his attention back on the serpent girl. As if she didn't hear his question, the demigod flopped on the couch next to the EMT. "McKenzie?" The Russian male questioned her, a tentative hand reaching out to touch her gently.

Before his hand could make contact with the small of her back, the serpent sat up. The action was small and brief, but her head soon came down to rest on Logan's lap instead of the bottom couch cushion. It was a small surprise, but Logan soon found his hand rubbing soothing circles on her back.

"I can't sleep," McKenzie finally admitted, her words coming out mumbled.

Logan turned down the volume of the television with his free hand before he spoke. "How come?"

Her back tensed up slightly, her breathing hitching in her chest and throat. "What if I'm the reason one of us dies?" Her question had been quiet, her words nearly jumbled breaths of air. He had been waiting for this moment ever since the fear simulation.

His hand still rested on her back lightly as he reassured her calmly. It was nearly a minute before he responded, his mind struggling to piece together an appropriate response to her question. Finally he answered her, a sweet message of, "I trust you." The silence continued after that, the only sound being the clock ticking by in the background.

Her breathing evened out slightly, but her back remained tense under his touch. McKenzie needed a real answer.

Logan continued his statement, trying to deliver his words correctly so it came out as reassuring and not accusing. "We'll worry about that if it ever happens, okay? It'll work out in the end, I promise," his whispered remark eased McKenzie's stiff posture, but he didn't stop rubbing her back until he knew she was fast asleep.

* * *

 **Stanford California**

 **August 29, 2017**

 **03:35**

Alyn blinked rapidly, her fight against sleeping becoming a more pronounced struggle. With a yawn and quick glance at her watch, the young woman calculated how much longer she needed to be at work. She was grateful to learn that it would only be another thirty minute battle with her exhausted body.

The small diner she worked out was predominantly empty, save for her, another waitress, and the cook in the back. Her coworkers mimicked her actions of yawning and checking the time, all of them obviously appearing overworked and tired. For Alyn, this had been the longest shift she's had in three weeks.

The door bell dinged, a group of college students stumbling inside the diner. Alyn sighed dryly through her nose as they sat in her designated section.

She planted on a faux smile, her voice trying to be anything but strained as she spoke, "Hello, welcome to Jessie's! My name is Alyn and I'm your server for tonight. Can I start you out with some drinks?" The script had become second nature to the hero, the words flowing off her tongue perfectly.

Despite the fact that the group seemed to be already drunk, she allowed two of them to order beers. After the rest of their beverage requests had been taken, Alyn left for the backroom. The other waitress had already left, leaving only Alyn and the cook in the cramped up space.

"Two beers and four coffees," Alyn repeated the drunken kids' requests to the chef as she placed down a silver platter for him to place the drinks upon. Too quickly for her liking, Alyn was once again out onto the main portion of the building, drinks in arm.

 _This is going to be a long night,_ the woman complained internally. _But it'll be worth it when I'm home with_ _Mihrimah_ _again._ With her own words striking a mantra in her head, the off-duty superhero powered through the rest of her shift.

* * *

 **Hey! Sorry for the late update, but hopefully you all enjoyed it. If your character wasn't highly involved in this chapter, it means I'm planning on focusing on them a lot more next chapter, so don't worry! And next chapter is supposed to be another long one (6,000-12,000 words) if that's any conciliation. Anyway, as always I have questions for you all:**

 **1\. If you could choose one villain to be your character's main/important villain, who would it be and why? (Please don't say the Joker is your arch nemesis if your character has never been to Gotham. Have it make sense please this is kind of important!)**

 **2\. Which character do you want your character to talk to more? Which relationships do you want me to establish? (Which character do you think your character would be more likely to snap at and for what reason?)**

 **3\. Which drabble would you prefer to see on the blog: swapped bodies or villain AU? (This one is just for fun)**

 **Make sure to check out the blog for challenges, and don't be afraid to post! Happy readings!**


	11. Chapter 11

**Mount Justice**

 **August 30, 2017**

 **20:22**

Dani stood against the wall, her shoulder pressed into the barrier as she leaned her weight against it. Her eyes traveled the distance of the room, focusing on her team members—the new team members, that is.

The highly trained sixteen year old narrowed her gaze onto Victoria, the dangerous look cutting holes into the archer. She knew what the Italian was doing instantly.

Victoria, who sat on a lone living room chair, matched Dani's activity of scrutinizing the others; yet, there was something different behind the older girl's look. She was looking for abnormalities within the others, not their weaknesses that Dani was currently doing.

Dani scoffed quietly before proceeding to look for the faults in the newer members. Her gaze shifted onto McKenzie, the serpent's hands preoccupied with a heavy book.

The demigod's fingers twitched ever so slightly as she flipped the pages from her text, her eyebrows scrunched up in peaked interest.

 _McKenzie isn't reading for fun... she's doing research on something. But for what?_ Dani thought in a vindictive manner, shifting her weight off of the wall to better read the title of the smaller girl's book. Her head tilted in the slightest, her eyes squinting momentarily as she struggled to read the bind's text. Unable to make out the old English title, Dani scowled deeply. The action didn't go unnoticed.

"Is everything alright?" The question came from Victoria, her tone somewhat accusing. With a small and somewhat faux smile, Victoria had been watching the others, or more importantly, watching Dani. She was quick to notice that Dani was not engaging with anyone else in the room, a trait that Victoria had only gathered with McKenzie. The others, such as Raja and Yessenia, stopped their activity of readjusting the fighting calls to look at the commotion between the two girls.

Dani's glare left the two and hardened onto the Huntress trainee before cracking slightly. _Two can play the 'innocence game',_ Dani internally displaced her intentions. A smile graced her lips as her eyes softened slightly.

"McKenzie's book looks interesting is all," Dani faked, her smile stretching uncomfortably as her attention shifted off of Victoria and onto the demigod herself. "What's it about?"

The serpent girl's eyes slid off of the book's page slowly. Before she answered Dani's interrogative question, she turned to meet Victoria's eyes. Their brief non-verbal conversation spoke louder than any words possibly could. As if Dani was unable to tell, Victoria silently gave the girl her permission to answer Dani's question.

 _Sweat is pooling at the base of her temple,_ the girl duly noted as she prepared for McKenzie's lie despite Victoria's blessing.

"It's about Greek medication," McKenzie smiled back politely, her eyes not meeting Dani's blue and icy stare.

Dani nodded her head at the answer. _The book's topic has to be personal. If I find out what's in the book, I can find a potential source of weakness,_ despite the aggressive thought, she grinned lightly with another nod in Victoria's direction. Raja and Yessenia continued watching in silence.

 _I have to get my hands on that book,_ Dani finalized, stepping away from the wall and making her way towards the bedrooms.

As soon as Dani was out of their site, McKenzie allowed herself to breathe out a worried sigh. The small group remained quiet though, still painfully aware of Sam's presence in the room. The ginger paid no attention to the scene though, or at least did not provide the team with evidence that he was, but instead chose to read through some of the team's old mission files.

The one he was currently reading caused Victoria's breathing to catch in her throat. Although Logan had labeled the file as "unknown suspect", she knew that that mission file was the one dealing with Death. The archer had memorized the case number: 07-886-0904.

Victoria would never admit it to the others, but she was still fearful of Death's taunt at her. It seemed as though each night she would struggle to keep the memory from returning to her and refusing to let her sleep. Unconsciously, the newly made adult rubbed at her eyes awkwardly. It was easy to tell she was tired.

 _And afraid,_ the girl added to her sentence, gripping onto her chair's edge tightly as she stiffed an expirated yawn. She noticed this time around that Sam had glanced up at her.

* * *

Angel leapt nearly four feet into the air as his door suddenly slammed open, the wooden slab smacking against the wall behind it. The paint on the wall chipped off as the knob rubbed against the barrier harshly.

Without vocalizing a greeting, Dani entered the small room before closing the door behind her. As he waited for his heart rate to return to its typical level, the Mexican boy rolled his deep brown eyes at her action. Gaining some confidence after his previously embarrassing yelp, the boy turned to point an upset finger in Dani's direction as he spoke.

"You know, some people knock before they enter someone-," Angel's retort fell flat on his lips as he read Dani's facial expression. His finger slowly lowered and his eyebrows furrowed in worry. "What's wrong?" He questioned instead.

Despite the usual taunting coolness of Dani's character, the Hispanic boy had learned to read her expressionless gazes. Her current one was serious and plan formulating. Almost instantly his worry was replaced with deviance as a smirk spread across his face.

"Victoria is reading us," Dani informed the boy, her arms crossing over her chest to hide the Metallica print on her shirt.

"That's not good," Angel retorted, his statement obvious to the Caucasian girl. His hand traveled to the nape of his neck in thought. "What are we going to do about it?" His smirk hadn't left his face despite their worrisome conversation.

Dani's fingers tapped lightly against her forearm as she spoke, "We have to read them first, before they lose all trust in us."

The methodical girl didn't allow herself to ever get anxious, but the thought of failing the one task Batman assigned for them caused her pulse to rise unhealthily. Her fingers continued to tap against her pale skin.

"What have you figured out about them so far?" Angel pondered as he sat in a desk chair near the back of his room.

Dani's grip on herself tightened, annoyance filling her veins at her lack of knowledge. She was better than this, better than them. The entire reason that them: Sam, Angel, Alyn and her, had been placed on the official team was so that the Dark Knight would have better information on the others.

 _And that's not even including the real reason I'm here,_ the girl sneered at herself mentally, almost ready to fight her hyperactive thoughts.

"Victoria is hiding a lot of stress and tension; she may have a mild case of anxiety and hypervigilance," Dani reiterated her previous thoughts to the water powered boy. The archer's actions throughout the entire day screamed hypervigilance; she was watching Dani and Sam instead of joining her friends in conducting new fighting strategies.

Angel's eyebrow rose in questioning. By now, he had been expecting entire novels of information about the group. "Is that it?" He nearly screeched, his voice low and musky in disapproval.

Dani glared at the smaller boy as her jaw clenched almost painfully. "What did you pick up on?" She challenged in a monotone fashion, stepping forward as if to brace herself for a physical attack.

Angel remained quiet for a second, his head turning towards the door to see if he could hear movement behind it. The hallway remained silent. "Have you noticed how Noah acts around the others?" Angel asked in a hushed voice, still scared that someone other than Dani would hear his following statement. "He acts overly... I don't know, cheerful? Like he's scared to be genuinely emotional around the team," Angel spoke as he played with his fingers subconsciously.

"Yeah, I've noticed that," Dani muttered, looking down at the floor in thought. "It's like they've seen too much of him too quickly and he's scared to overwhelm them with who he is," the two were suddenly grateful for the extensive psychological training Sam forced upon them.

Angel nodded in agreement with Dani's additional information. It frustrated him though to think that Victoria was impossible to read, but he knew that the four of them: him, Sam, Dani, and Alyn would be able to figure her and the rest of the team out. They had to.

* * *

The soft and rhythmic sounds of fingers tapping away on a laptop's keyboard echoed throughout the base's large library. The sound was peaceful, but disrupted the calm nature of the historically silent space.

 _Only I could forget about my homework,_ Alyn mentally scolded herself, her eyes quickly dashing to look at the time. _And only I could forget about homework that's due in two hours!_ Alyn continued typing her research paper, urgency evident from her speedy actions. Her eyebrows scrunched up as her strained eyes continued to read her essay as she typed it.

Being a superhero was hard enough, but the task proved to be even more difficult when paired with college, especially with law school. The lawyer-to-be bit her lip in concentration as she struggled to remember one of the lesser known laws. When it dawned on her, her frown was quickly replaced with a smirk.

Despite not being alone in the library, the silence Noah demonstrated thrilled the Muslim girl. She enjoyed the presence of another human, especially when she wasn't obligated to speak with them and sitting with the necromancer on top of it all was even more enjoyable. She was able to sit down and do her work without needing to worry about impressing her older team mates or watching her new ones.

 _And besides, he's doing his own work._ Alyn struggled to maintain her concentration once more as her gaze shifted towards the necromancer. The teenaged boy sat in a chair maybe twenty-five feet away from her, a laptop in his lap as he scrolled through some documents.

Research was common in the bat-family, especially when it came to others that they found themselves sharing relationships with. The current file on his screen had happened to be about the team's resident technician.

 _His father is Deadshot?_ Noah thought to himself, a hand resting underneath his chin in thought. _Out of everybody on the team, I never would have guessed that bright and chippy Oliver had a dark past,_ Noah continued. He stopped his current thought train.

He knew what it was like to have a 'villainous' parent and he also knew it did not automatically mean that the offspring would be bad. For years people thought that necromancers were evil and ' _h'-'e'- double hockey sticks, my parents were even brutally murdered based off of the idea._

The boy slowly closed his laptop. Oliver was his own person and didn't deserve to be judged on who his father was. The technician was a hero and so was Noah; they both beat the system that assumed they would be villains. Noah stood up from his chair so he could leave the library, but not before inspecting Alyn.

 _I read her file too,_ his expression grew pained and he was sure the temperature in the room dropped slightly. _The best people in life had the hardest pasts._ As he left the occupied library, Alyn's furious types only grew louder and quicker in comparison to before.

* * *

 **Mount Justice**

 **August 31, 2017**

 **04:35**

Despite the late, or rather extremely early, time, Raja escaped his assigned room in pursuit of the Base's fully equipped gym. The teen, clad in his typical working out outfit, walked silently to his destination.

The time on his digital watch read an agonizing 5:37 am, reminding the boy of his irrational want to be awake at this hour to train. Before he joined the official team, exercising had been a part of his and Oliver's daily routine, and he craved that sense of routine once more. It may sound crazy, but the Muslim would even admit to craving the time he used to spend alone with Oliver. To him, it'd been ages since the last time they really communicated with one another.

Raja pushed the thoughts out of his mind. He would bother the technician at a later time, since he was sure the over-sleeper would assassinate him if Raja attempted to awaken him to participate in old habits. The boy smirked fondly at the thought.

The Indian entered the gym only to be greeted by the sound of a machine whirring in the back. With a confused glance back down at his watch, Raja proceeded further into the gym in a cautionary way.

It wasn't long before he found Logan running on a treadmill.

"Hey," Raja spoke in his usual stoic manner, walking closer to the medic. "What's up?"

Based on his previous experiences of living with Oliver, Raja had learned that there were two types of people who trained at this ungodly hour: those that were forced to or those that feel like they needed to. Of course, he assumed that Logan's reasoning was for the latter.

Raja stopped his advancement at a comfortable distance from the teen. He glanced down at the stats reading off the machine—six and a half miles.

With an arched eyebrow, Raja questioned the teen once more, "How long have you been running?"

Logan stopped the machine and stepped off, turning to face Raja. "I think twenty or so minutes. I'm not quite sure," the paramedic answered honestly, his breathing coming out slightly jagged from the work out. His hoodie stuck to his skin from sweat.

Without thinking much, Raja handed the other his water bottle. "Are you training to outrun the Flash or something?" The Indian boy asked, which caused the other to smile lightly. Raja sat down on the bench press for a moment, his eyes still trained on Logan. "And shouldn't you be sleeping?" He continued with a skeptical eyebrow raised.

It was Logan's turn to arch his eyebrow in a questionable way, as if he were reminding Raja that, he too, was awake at the time. Raja didn't listen to the nonverbal reply.

"Don't give me that look because I at least slept. It looks like you haven't in days," Raja challenged in a pinpoint voice, trying to channel his reaction to remain stoic. His monotone voice caused Logan to chuckle as he handed Raja back his water bottle.

"I'm used to it, and besides, I have a lot of energy right now that I need to kill," Logan replied back. Half way through his retort Raja had begun bench pressing the weight that was left on the bench, his eyes rolling as Logan finished his sentence.

 _Yessenia was probably here last,_ Raja thought, straining slightly to lift the bar. He almost cursed her for her incredible strength, but he carried on with determination to be better. The Amazonian girl was strong, that much he knew.

Raja grunted quietly with effort, reminding himself of his current conversation. "You need to sleep, I don't care if you're used to it. You'll be a liability if you pass out on a mission," his voice, although gritty and somewhat brutal, still held concern. The EMT could tell why Oliver had called Raja a 'mother hen'.

"Yeah, okay. Thanks mom," Logan quipped, an eye roll following his statement with a sheepish grin. Raja barely had time to react before the medic had left in pursuit of the showers.

 _Fucking idiot,_ Raja cursed internally with a small smile, making a mental note to watch after the older, yet smaller, teen.

* * *

 **Unknown Location**

 **August 31, 2017**

 **16:12**

Raja cracked his neck as he stood before the group. "Queen Bee," he started his introduction to the mission with the target. To him, there was no need to explain every detail about a case to the small, but growing, group of heroes. Additional information only seemed to complicate things for some, especially when it came down to the more gritty parts of their volunteered jobs. "-has managed to control the dictators and presidents of Biayla's surrounding countries in an attempt to start a war against the Justice League. Our mission is to find her, end her control of the mind-controlled leaders, and restore order to the military base she has under seize," his words were exact without room to argue.

"Couldn't Queen Bee control us if she wanted to?" The question came from Angel, "How do we stop someone who already has control of four countries' military arsenals?"

Raja's fist clenched at his side, the bones cracking loudly just like his neck did. The aggravation he was experiencing dulled down slightly as he swallowed his non-English curses.

 _We didn't even begin the mission yet there are already doubts about our performance,_ Raja's blistering words stayed internal, but he sent a knowing glance towards the older members of the team. By now, it was common knowledge that Raja did not fail; not only that, but Raja did not fail with negativity backing him up.

With a condensed angered growl, Raja replied to Angel's question, "Her control is only subject to those that sexually desire her, meaning that we have to split up based on who she'd effect. Team Alpha will be in charge of capturing Queen Bee, Team Beta will disarm weaponry and protect perimeter, and Team Gamma will be searching for the military heads and administering the cure," his words were once again exact.

Raja's eyes looked up and down the rows at his seated team mates, all of which sat in costumes with weapons in hand. Before anyone could ask, Raja answered the question on everybody's minds, "Victoria, McKenzie, and Alyn will be Alpha," he paused as McKenzie glanced over at Alyn with a polite smile.

"Team Beta will be Oliver, Noah, Angel, Dani, and Yessenia," once more he paused. The larger group shared congratulating smirks and grins as they quickly separated themselves into smaller groups of disablement or protection. As they loudly formulated plans, Raja turned to look over at the only two who were not added to a team yet: Sam and Logan. "And you two are with me."

Raja hoped the others did not notice that he excluded himself from the two more dangerous tasks. Even though it had become tradition for mission leaders to be on the action based squads, Raja chose to ignore it. If anyone asked him, Raja would answer that he was the only one able to speak the native tongue of the military leaders (hence his reasoning to be team leader at all), but in reality that was not accurate.

As the Muslim teen sat down next to Logan, Victoria's voice echoed throughout the jet. From the cockpit, she informed them of their estimated time arrival, "Ten minutes and counting!"

* * *

Sam was the first, and probably only, person to notice the heavy tension on the jet.

The divide between the two 'different' teams in the seats was stark and noticeable, the four newcomers sitting at a distance from the others. It was apparent that both groups felt uncomfortable in the presence of the others, but there was hope evident in some faces.

Sam raised an eyebrow as he witnessed Noah's piercing violet eyes stare down at his phone unexpectedly. He seemed to frequently check the device, as if he were waiting on something, or somebody. Periodically his lips would turn upward in a small and hidden smile, and it didn't take long before Sam deduced that he was talking to a significant other.

 _From his hidden smile I can tell that the others don't know about this significant other,_ Sam inspected with a turned face, his cool eyes never leaving Noah.

It was during this scrutiny that Sam realized just how young the boy was. _How young,_ Sam thought, _but how beaten... all at once._

The necromancer's periodic smile was small and didn't upturn majority of his face; his eyebrows staying stationary as well as his eyelids appearing downcast in contemplation.

 _He misses them._

The forensic psychologist grinned lightly at the gathered fact. Noah, despite being presented to Death and a despicable scenario of fear, managed to find happiness even if it was minimal.

Sam's eyes glided off of the bat family member and landed on Raja. The burly Muslim teen had been sitting next to Logan as the latter of the two tried explaining a complex diagram; however, he appeared to be distant from the other in a world of thought.

Behind the thought, Raja's deep brown eyes contained skillfully hidden worry. Every other minute, his hands would clench together tightly, his knuckles turning a ghastly white as he spared a glance towards the other occupants.

 _Younger sibling,_ the ginger man observed, noting Raja's presumed family ties.

The longer he spent on the tiny jet with the team, the more he learned about them through their subconscious actions. This didn't surprise him though, as it was the red-haired man's occupation, but it worried him how easily he was able to learn from the heroes.

 _They are worse than Batman originally thought... they are so broken that they are guarding themselves from each other._ The thought scared Sam more than the teens' actions. Their coping mechanisms were going to get them killed.

The twenty-three year old man leaned back into his chair, mentally diagnosing the others to report back to the Dark Knight—and so far, things were not in the team's favor.

* * *

 **Bialya Base**

 **August 31, 2017**

 **17:04**

Noah was suddenly grateful that he left the warmer parts of his costume on the jet as sweat trickled down his face. The dense desert air was harsh on his lungs, but for the first time in a while the young necromancer did not feel coolness napping on the back of his neck. Despite his reliance on the darker parts of his powers, it was easier to ignore his intrusive thoughts when they weren't currently active.

The young teen rolled up his dark long sleeve slightly to expose parts of his arms.

 _It is so hot outside,_ the bat mentally complained before wiping away at his face. He knew that if either Dick or Bruce were around they would chastise him for his wardrobe removal and change, but he couldn't find it within himself to really care at the moment. All he knew was that he wanted to get out of the desert as quickly as possible, and as he looked over at the others, he could tell they wanted the same.

Yessenia handed her Wonder Woman embroidered leather jacket to Logan, who efficiently stuffed it inside of his book bag. It wasn't long before many of the team mates had handed jackets and gloves to the medic in means of getting rid of layers.

Noah smiled lightly at the thought of his girlfriend on the mission; the anemic teen would probably have accepted the extra layers with a happy grin bearing on her face. The necromancer shook his head clear of the thoughts, but his smile still stuck. He hadn't realized that he had been standing there for an extra moment until he noticed that majority of his team mates had fled the darkened desert space.

The Beta Squad looked at him expectantly.

 _Why are they looking at me? Raja didn't assign squad leaders,_ the questioning tone in his mind was quickly replaced. The team trusted him and that's all that mattered.

"Dani and Yessenia should handle perimeter, if they get stopped by Queen Bee she won't have control on either one of you," Noah advised as he stared down at the two girls. Yessenia smirked at the necromancer in agreement before she grabbed Dani's hand, pulling her along to the side. The other two boys nodded as Noah signed them over to the garage area of the base.

The teen could only hope that he had made the right call.

* * *

Victoria separated herself from both Alyn and McKenzie as she silently scaled the length of a Sniper's tower. Her head peered over the tower's edge slowly, her ears struggling to hear what sounded like a set of breathing.

 _Multiple Snipers..._ the archer noted to herself. Her hands gripped against the rails tightly, her eyes peering through a crack in the foundation. _Two Snipers, both at opposite windows,_ she added to her previous thought. Victoria took a deep breath in before prepping her legs to swing over the ledge.

Just as the hero prepared herself to accomplish a silent but effective double take down, she heard bodies topple to the iron grating underneath them. Reacting with incredible speed, the Italian hopped over the edge to see the two Snipers face down on the flooring, Alyn standing above them.

"What happened to staying on the ground?" Victoria nearly snapped, her hands moving to her hips.

The Muslim girl rubbed at her, now raw, knuckles with a muffled groan. As if she hadn't heard the younger teen, Alyn bent down to pick up one of the communicating devices that was hanging off the military member's hip.

Victoria bit her tongue, striving hard as to not blow their cover by repeating her question in a loud growl. Instead, she chose to take the other communicator off the other man's hips. If there was one thing she knew that Alyn couldn't take away from her, it was Victoria's ability to hack frequencies. With a somewhat cheeky smirk, the hacker sat down on the grating and listened to the comm link.

"Is everything okay?" McKenzie asked as she flipped over the tower's edge, just like Victoria had done moments before.

The archer bit back a yell, _how hard is it to stay put?! I told them I could handle this if they just watched for extra patrolling officers!_ But once again, the girl decided to remain silent, choosing to instead focus her talents on listening to the radio waves as she quickly typed away at a small IP networking piece fastened on her wrist. Victoria hummed to herself in order to remain calm, still slightly unnerved that even after all that she's done she was still treated like a child.

Alyn's breath hitched, catching the attention of both McKenzie and Victoria. With speed that would make any speedster jealous, the girl quickly flung out her arm in a protective manner, a shield cascading over the group as a knife instantly bounced off of it.

"What the hell was that?" McKenzie spoke, bending down near Victoria's level to better hide herself.

Alyn's arm remained steady up in front of the group, her eyebrows scrunching down in a threatening manner. "I think we have company," the adult murmured in a low tone. McKenzie stood up, a look flashing down towards Victoria as if to tell the girl to continue finding the location of Queen Bee's radio frequency.

* * *

Raja pressed the needle deep into the man's neck before pressing down on the syringe to release the medication.

 _One down and three more to go,_ Raja thought as he slowly brought the dictator down to the floor. As soon as the majority of his body was at a horizontal level, Raja dragged the unconscious man into a closet. The room that he had entered to find the dictator was in the main building, which slightly worried the teenager. _Too close to danger for comfort._

It wasn't that he was worried about the danger he was putting himself in, but rather he was worried about the abilities and mental comprehension of both Sam and Logan. To Raja, Sam was an unknown variable in the plan. He had at least seen what Dani and Angel had been capable of when the two helped Noah fight off his power, and he had trusted Victoria enough to be able to control Alyn if she needed to, but Sam? Sam was unpredictable at the moment.

The Indian boy was also weary of Logan, as he knew little to nothing when it came to how he fought. When it came to sparring one another, there were only a handful of people that decided to sit out: Dani, Raja, and Logan. That decision was currently haunting the Muslim boy.

As he exited the room, his eyes met with Sam. The red-haired man had exited the room across from Raja, shaking his head in the process as the two met gazes. _There are still three more military leaders under Queen Bee's mind control left,_ Raja nearly growled. For an easy task, it was proven to be harder and harder by each passing minute.

* * *

The two girls slowly trailed the length of the fenced in desert-like space. From their position, they were able to see across the entire area, which included a plethora of hidden dangers. The castle-styled building at the center of the base was widely protected by a handful of Sniper towers, patrolling cruisers filled to the brim with Bialyan soldiers, a garage of tanks, and a multitude of tents harboring only god knows what.

Despite their visual, Dani and Yessenia hadn't come across any soldier on the perimeter. It actually frustrated the Amazonian warrior, who had been excited to fight in a mission once more. "This sucks," the princess complained aloud, turning towards Dani with a spread out frown.

Dani remained silent, unfazed at the Amazonian's sudden outburst. She had been well aware of the warrior's mild ADHD and the action did not unsettle the newcomer in the slightest. If anything, it had been expected.

As the two teenagers turned the corner for what seemed like the millionth time, they were greeted by an ambush of militant soldiers. Instantly and without warning, the front line had shot off their ballistic weapons onto the two girls.

Instinct quickly settled in and Yessenia leapt in front of her teammate, her arms crossed out in front of herself to protect them both. With a dangerous and wild glint striking in her rooted brown eyes, Yessenia stared down the soldiers. Her eyebrows furrowed as her gaze dropped down to her wrist cuffs, bullet fragments protruding into the metal.

Dani's focus shifted onto her team mate. "Amazon Girl?" Dani started, her voice piercing through the stiff air. The militant soldiers remained still, their guns trained on the heroes' figures. The feminine warrior grinned lightly, the smile leaning more towards the left side of her face as her head shifted in the same direction. She slowly lowered her arms.

"I'll give you until the count of three to drop your weapons," Yessenia threatened in a daring tone, taking a step closer to the soldiers. "One," she started as she revealed her sword to the group. With the same swiftness as before, the soldiers stepped backwards in increasing fear.

Dani took a deep breath in as she took a fighting position to mimic Yessenia's. She narrowed her eyes to glare at the guns.

"Two," Yessenia's countdown held no control in the room, but the girl smirked nonetheless. The two teens met eyes as Dani followed Yessenia's lead. Yessenia huffed out a breath of air, before finishing her count, "Three."

As if on cue, the soldiers began rapidly firing their guns in the girls' direction.

Dani, who had expected the attack this time around, waved her arm in the air quickly, leaving a static blue shield in front of them momentarily. The bullets pinged off of the power loudly before the shield ultimately shattered to the floor. The moment the shield collapsed, Yessenia belted out a high pitched scream, her cry's vibration stunning the hench men into cowering forms.

The two shared a look once more, Dani summoning the same blue-colored power, this time into a sword form. Weapons in hand, the heroes dashed forward with determination.

* * *

 _You would think that the armies of multiple powerful countries would have more advanced weapons..._ Oliver thought sarcastically to himself as he held the make shift bomb in his hand. With a calculated cut, the boy made the incision to disarm the explosive through an outer wire.

Although the entire garage was littered with powerful and dangerous weapons, the technician couldn't be further from comfort. He was used to spending his free time dismantling or disarming his father's guns, grenades, and launchers, and to Oliver, this was a typical Tuesday night at his house. For some strange reason, the activity was almost joyful to the mixed teen, which was more than he could say for the others.

From his position underneath a tank's circuit board, Noah heard Angel dissemble what seemed to be the hundredth assault rifle. Even if the teens had been too late to stop the mind-controlled invasion, the military would have no weapons to use against the Justice League. The thought alone made the necromancer smile in satisfaction.

 _Maybe now Batman will trust me enough to tell me why he had made another team of heroes,_ Noah told himself as he ripped out a cord from the tank. The machinery sparked momentarily in protest. _I can't imagine that he did it just for "protection", Bruce isn't like that... is he?_ The thoughts, once again, caused the young boy to zone out from his task.

"-ah... Noah... NOAH!" The yell had come from Angel. The Hispanic boy loomed over the smaller boy's figure as he lay sprawled out on the floor, his hands no longer working to dismantle the tank. "Get out of your head, amigo. We have to go to the secondary location now," Angel's voice threw Noah off. It was filled with genuine concern, and the worried glance cast down upon him made him feel awkward. Maybe Bruce did assign the older teens to protect them after all...

* * *

The shield that Alyn had summoned had quickly gone down, and the moment its protection was absent, McKenzie fell victim to it's attacker. As she was tackled off of the Sniper's tower and away from her team mates, McKenzie was able to get a brief look at the smaller opponent.

The attacker couldn't be older than the serpent, her face and size appearing young and feminine. Her unruly dark blonde locks twisted on her head, the short haircut bouncing with each movement she made and despite the mask worn on the benefactor's face, the demigod could easily make out the color of the villain's eyes: a warm amber.

Once they landed on the sandy desert ground, McKenzie struggled against the deadly girl's grip, the younger of the two smirking widely. "You're too precious," the villain flirted sexually. The girl's words shocked McKenzie instantly and she turned a darkened red. "That's only making you cuter, honey," the girl added with a soft chuckle.

"Adder!" Victoria shouted from her position on the Sniper's tower, "Knock her out!"

The girl chuckled again while she leaned down closer to match McKenzie's face. "You should tell your friend my name isn't 'her'," the opposing teenager cooed, her lips only centimeters away from McKenzie's ear. "Its Dark Claw," as she announced her name into the hero's ear, she barrel rolled off the teen and exposed a short sword to the others.

As soon as the pressure left her hips, McKenzie attempted to stand up in order to fight Dark Claw; instead, she found her arm to be chained down to the ground. The serpent girl tried ripping her arm free of the bind, but gasped at the searing pain she was soon exposed to.

 _Power dampening..._ McKenzie sneered. Despite the gathered knowledge, the demigod still waved her wrists around for removal.

"Its useless, baby girl, I've got you pinned," Dark Claw taunted, her flirt still present. The smaller teen was by McKenzie's side in a matter of seconds. With a satisfied grin from Dark Claw, the sword's blade grazed into McKenzie's neck slightly, drawing blood.

Victoria and Alyn leapt over the ledge of the tower and landed a mere five feet away from the other two girls. As if she had expected it, Dark Claw flung two knives in their direction, piercing both Alyn's arm and Victoria's shoulder. "Like I said, I have you pinned. Take another step closer and I'll electrocute precious over here," the taunt frightened McKenzie and the girl continued to fight the bind.

The archer glared at Dark Claw's smaller figure, before snatching the knife out of her own wound. Blood oozed out of the lesion quickly, but Victoria paid it no mind. "Are you working for Queen Bee?" Victoria asked in an authoritative manner.

"I work for everyone," Dark Claw answered with a joyous tone. The sword held McKenzie's head in place.

* * *

Sam crept down the hall and placed his hand on the final room's door. The forensic psychologist spared a glance back at his team mates, both of which were still occupying themselves by hiding the bodies of two more militant leaders.

 _The last one has to be behind this door,_ Sam prepared himself and he removed the needle from his jacket pocket. Despite most superheroes' attire, the red-haired man always preferred a more professional appearance, which included a suit's jacket.

With the syringe balancing in between his gloved fingers, he slowly opened the room's door. Almost immediately, the smell of blood wafted into his nose and the darkened room provided no insight as to where the foul stench was coming from.

"Dear God," Sam muttered to himself incoherently as he stepped further into the room. He lowered his needled weapon to turn on the room's lights. "Oh _God_ ," the man repeated as he took in the room's scenery. The last militant dictator lay dead on the floor ahead of him, blood spilled onto the floor in an excessive amount. His head had been sliced off and placed on the wall, much like a bear's or deer's head.

"I wouldn't call myself a God, but thank you anyway," the soft purr of the highly feminine voice caused the hair on Sam's neck to stand on end. Her vision slipped down at the deceased man's headless corpse and she frowned slightly. "I had to kill him, even in his weakened state he cared too much about his country," Queen Bee's explanation was empathy void, regardless of the life she had taken.

Sam slowly put the syringe back in his pocket. The action didn't go unnoticed.

"Let me guess... the other little heroes are here as well?" Her question didn't require an answer; Sam's silence was answer enough. "But I don't think you were the one who was supposed to find me. No," she paused, "A team of girls were, weren't they? You all are getting mighty foolish as to think that I can't control a female."

By now, she had gotten close enough to Sam to place her hand on his face. With another satisfied purr, she leaned in to whisper to him, "Take his gun and kill your team mates." As soon as she finished her order, Sam backed away from Queen Bee and went to salvage the weapon from the lifeless corpse in the room. With a distant expression, the man was forced to leave the room and stumble back into the hallway.

Logan smiled politely as Sam exited the final room. "Hey Specter, did you find the-"

"Move!" Raja was quick to tackle the medic to the floor, a loud bang erupting in the air. Sam aimed the weapon once more, this time pointing down at Raja and Logan. With a muffled groan, Raja attempted to stand up, his hand pressing onto his chest painfully. "Specter, this isn't you. Stand down or I'll take you out," Raja ordered with his arm outstretched. The tattoos on his arm glowed briefly, but Sam paid no mind to it.

Logan quickly swept Sam's legs from underneath him before he could shoot once more, causing the taller boy to fall to the ground. Before he could hit the floor completely though, the Russian teen kicked the gun out of Sam's hand and caught it. Using the weapon against him, the uninjured team mate used the back end of the gun to deliver a harsh blow to Sam's cranium.

Logan turned to Raja, "Where are you shot?" As he was being questioned, the Muslim teen revealed the upper chest injury through a grimace. "Okay, hey, you'll be okay," Logan assured as he applied pressure to the wound.

"Men are idiots," the cool phrase caused both men to turn around. "I have to do everything myself, don't I?" Queen Bee snapped as she glided closer to the boys. Her gaze glared down at the unconscious Sam.

Logan quickly rose to his feet, his worried expression shifting from Raja to the dangerous woman. "Stand down," Logan commanded the bigger male. Raja groaned in agony as he slowly stood up, spiting the words of his friend. "I said stand down!"

Queen Bee smirked dangerously as she looked Raja up and down. "You better listen to him, we wouldn't want you getting any more hurt. Sit this one out," as soon as she finished her sentence, Raja knew that her words had bound him to his place.

* * *

 **I am cutting this chapter in half because I think cliff hangers are fun. As always, let me know what you guys think and what you want next (seriously, if you give me information I use it. I hate focusing on certain characters more than others, but sometimes I don't really have a choice). I also know that I don't update as frequently anymore, and I sincerely apologize, but it will be getting better.**


	12. Chapter 12

**Bialya Base**

 **August 31, 2017**

 **18:35**

Oliver grabbed Noah by the edge of his bullet-proof vest and pulled the younger teen backward into his awaiting chest. Before the younger boy could question the reasoning behind the sudden action, voices filled the secondary location they were currently entering.

Noah's breath hitched in his throat as he chewed on the inside of his lip. The group of soldiers who had entered the small underground space held sub-machine guns in their hands and talked in a dialect Noah didn't understand. Their voices grew quieter with each second that passed the heroes by.

The technician slowly released the young bat before pushing him behind his much larger figure. Gunshots soon erupted in the garage, startling all of the occupants greatly. Taking his gun out of his holster, Oliver turned to signal at Angel and Noah. The necromancer struggled to pay attention to the older male's made up sign language, his eyes narrowing in on the weapon in his right hand.

 _Oliver isn't a villain,_ Noah reminded himself as he swallowed the bile slowly rising in his throat. _But why does he have a gun?_ The question reiterated itself a thousand times in the necromancer's head. Not only was he biting back the urge to nervously puke, his veins slowly filled with anxiety and despair. _Oliver won't actually kill anybody, he had his gun during our last mission and it was a success. I'm just being paranoid._ Despite his own soothing words, the anxiety still didn't mellow out.

"Somebody died," the muttered realization was quiet at first. His head started to ache dully and black edged his vision haphazardly. "Somebody died," he repeated, a little louder. He hoped that either one of his team mates had heard him, but they both advanced into the underground garage without him.

Suddenly his unfocused behavior began to make sense to the boy. His death sense had been working overtime to alert him of a death.

 _That_ _must mean we are getting closer to the body,_ Noah continued his thought process, quickly trying to catch up with the other two boys. He nearly toppled to the ground in pain, his body shivering harshly despite the excessive heat. _-Or bodies..._

With each additional step he took, fatigue and near hypothermia flooded his body. He didn't think he ever felt this cold before, this cold _or_ tired.

By now, Oliver and Angel had found refuge behind a large tank nearly forty meters away from Noah, their heads peering out around the vehicle and into the garage. Their view though was gruesome and Angel had turned white in disgust.

"¡O Mierda!" Angel cursed as he used his hand to shield himself from the horrific scene. "Ghost, why didn't you warn us abo-?"Angel's question ended prematurely, his head swinging around quickly to find his absent team member. The technician aided Angel in his visual search and found Noah leaning against the white-brick wall behind them.

"Stay here, I'll go get Ghost King," Oliver instructed the meta before heading in the necromancer's direction. In no time the technician reached Noah and wrapped a steady arm around his smaller frame, "Are you okay?"

Noah's pointer and middle finger pressed against his temple painfully. "How many bodies are over there?" The diviner redirected the topic, not wanting to admit to any weakness. His hidden eyes attempted to match gaze with Oliver's, but the older boy refused. If Noah hadn't been too hypersensitive to his surroundings, he would have missed Oliver's quiet response: "Too many." The anxiety appeared on both of the boys' faces by now.

"Guys, you might want to see this," Angel's voice called out from the middle of the room.

Disregarding Oliver's outstretched arm, Noah pushed past the adult. Almost instantly the necromancer's vision went hazy as he passed the tank blocking the scene. Nearly a hundred bodies lay on the floor ahead of him.

Noah uncharacteristically cursed, his hands balling into fists at his sides. The boy stared down at the human remains with sympathy, barely muttering out, "How could Queen Bee kill so many people?" His voice was shaking as he spoke.

"Well, she is a villain after all," Oliver replied airily. Noah gaped at the technician, his head tilted in minor displeasure at the boy's obvious statement. "Oh, wait, you were being rhetorical," Oliver restated the obvious once more. If it weren't for the dilemma ahead of them, the bat might have chuckled at the adult's antics; however, his heart still felt heavy in his chest and refrained him from feeling anything short of sorrow.

 _I hate my powers,_ Noah mentally complained as he pulled the sleeves of his shirt down closer to the edges of his gloves. He regretted leaving his trench coat back on the team jet as the cold bitterness nipped on the back of his neck.

"Oliver," Angel interrupted the diviner's thoughts. "Look," the Hispanic teen gripped a deceased soldier's walkie-talkie tightly as he crouched over its corpse. His face was still white in shock and his hands shook slightly in distress at the endless heap of bodies. After everything he had been through, the expected womanizer never prepared himself to come across an above-ground cemetery on this mission.

Noah knew why Angel collected the piece. If the team was able to retrieve the frequency that Queen Bee used in her radios, then they would be able to use that to their advantage later on when it came to future encounters with the woman. In spite of the amazing find, Noah couldn't shake the feeling of loss.

"Come on," Oliver was quick to remove both of the younger boys from the horrid place as Angel's quivering worsened and Noah's eyes glazed over in near dissociation. "I'll handle the weapons here, there aren't that many anyway," Oliver reasoned with the two as he hid them back behind the tank. Noah had completely forgotten about their assigned task.

As he pocketed his still exposed gun, Oliver turned to dismantle the handful of weapons in the small space.

Noah stood tall once more, "I can help. I've dealt with way worse," Noah's purple orbs challenged Oliver's brown as if daring him to call the younger boy out. Oliver remained unconvinced by the boy's willingness but allowed the young teenager to worm his way back into the garage space with a muffled sigh. Angel followed him almost immediately.

Oliver surveyed the room once more before bringing his hand up to his ear to tap at the communication device. "We could use some assistance," he said, staring off at the bottomless pit of corpses.

* * *

Dani spat at the sand covered ground aggressively as she wiped at the side of her mouth.

"You okay?" Yessenia's question was full of concern, her eyes scanning Dani for any serious wounds. For a split second, Dani's gaze met the Amazon's and Yessenia's eyebrows scrunched together in increased worry, her head tilted in the slightest.

"Yeah, I'm golden," Dani replied in a monotone voice. Before the other girl could respond, Dani wrapped her ebony bandana around her mouth once more, ignoring the pain she felt when she did so. The sixteen-year-old girl pushed past Yessenia and stepped over the unconscious figures surrounding them to another sector.

Yessenia, somewhat startled by Dani's cool demeanor, quickly recovered from the fray. Being friends with Victoria for as long as she had had prepared her for such neglectful responses to caring questions; yet, the sharpness laced behind Dani was something she would never see out of the respected archer. Dani was harsh and knew it, obviously not caring how another would react. Yessenia was somewhat grateful that it was her who had asked the question and not a kinder heart, such as McKenzie, who she feared would have taken it personally.

 _McKenzie has already been through enough as it is,_ the idea of the serpent caused a frown to cross the Amazon's face. She couldn't figure out why the demigod was having the most difficult time recovering from the simulation, especially in comparison to the others. _For Hera's sake, even Victoria, who always bottles things up, recovered for the most part!_

Yessenia had to shake the thoughts out of her head. Now was not the time or the place to be zoning out.

The Amazon was forced into a jog to reach Dani, who had made her presence known nearly twenty yards away to another group of soldiers. Without calling back for help, or even to see if Yessenia had followed her, the new hero sprang into action with the others. Now normally the warrior would have rushed to join in on a fight, but the glare behind Dani's gaze stopped her in her jog. From a distance, Yessenia watched the younger girl fight the troopers.

Dani cast her weapon of choice easily, the neon blue energy swords striking down the guns from the five soldiers surrounding her in a semi-circle. With the soldiers disarmed, Dani collided her body with another individual's, her force causing him to hit a nearby armored car before toppling to the ground like a rag doll. Then, as if it was the easiest feat possible, the girl ran up the body of the next militant member, kicked him under his jaw, then used his momentum to back-flip herself over two more men whilst smashing their skulls together.

By now, Yessenia had joined Dani in her miniature fighting arena and had grabbed ahold of the remaining soldier. "That was so badass Azure!" Yessenia complimented Dani joyfully as she applied a pressure point to the base of the man's neck.

"Yeah?" Dani huffed out, a tilt of her head as she looked back at Yessenia. "It would have been more badass if I didn't allow one of them to hit me before," the edge-filled tone was laced with venom and its antidote: full of spite, but at the same time so uncaring and relaxed.

Yessenia bit the inside of her cheek. Dani was referring to the battle that they had fought together, where Dani had been headbutted with the end of a gun. The strike was so meaningless but apparently held so much power in Dani's mind.

To her, Dani had been trained better than that. _If he had seen that fight… if he had been witness to me getting hit by this low-life and mediocre opponent, he would be disappointed…_ Dani's thoughts ran rampant. Usually, when she fought she fought to kill, but Batman's rule hung over her head dangerously.

 _Not killing my opponents is making me weaker and more vulnerable,_ and as her thoughts continued pouring out, she began subconsciously rubbing at the painful swelling underneath her facial mask. The action didn't go unnoticed, but just before Yessenia could comment on the injury, the communication links in their ears vibrated violently.

"What?" Dani spoke into the earpiece coldly.

"We could use some assistance," Oliver's voice echoed throughout both girls' heads. His voice, which was typically flirtatious and cheery, was now gritty and somber.

Yessenia glanced down at yet another horde of enemies she had watched Dani tackle down as the girl replied to Oliver's request. "Give us your coordinates and Amazon Girl and I will rendezvous to your location," she matched Oliver's vocal tone.

* * *

Victoria flinched when she felt her communication link buzz in her ear unexpectedly.

 _We don't have time for this,_ Victoria mentally complained as she restrained herself from answering the call. The archer remained still, too scared to make any sudden moves that would result in Dark Claw electrocuting McKenzie, and as Victoria made eye contact with Alyn, she could tell the older woman was thinking the same thing. The two ignored the earpieces' plea in favor of the serpent's potential murder.

"Let her go," Victoria growled lowly, her hand still pressing into her knife lesion tightly. Her fingers gripped onto her shoulder as blood leaked out of the wound in excessive amounts, but Victoria could not care less. Her gaze was fixated on McKenzie's petrified expression of helplessness.

Dark Claw chuckled. "How much do you think they would pay me if I killed a sidekick?" Her voice dripped with passion and danger as her electrified sword pressed against McKenzie's jugular more. She paced around McKenzie's figure, eyeing the serpent up and down in thought.

"Probably not as much as you would for killing a superhero," Alyn challenged. Dark Claw's gaze snapped up to meet Alyn's, confusion settling behind her amber eyes. "You heard me! You'd get paid more to kill a cat, in my opinion," Alyn was strong and confident in her words. "Or hell, even the Huntress wannabe over here would result in a better payout. Are you that scared to go after a real hero?"

McKenzie let the words settle into her stomach. She knew Alyn was only trying to save her life, that she didn't truly _mean_ what she said, but the words still stung. They still stung, and they reminded her of the simulation. _I'm no hero. I never was._

Dark Claw stopped pacing the length of McKenzie's figure and she placed a hand on her hip. "Do you really think that I'm stupid enough to fall for that trick?" Dark Claw sneered out before chortling once more. She pressed the sword into McKenzie's neck once more, blood trickling out of the cut in a slow trail. "Now I'm tempted to kill her just because of what you said!"

McKenzie's hair stood on end in fear. She was going to die.

Alyn snickered as she placed her hands on her hips. "Do it then! It won't matter much anyway, but what would I know? It's not like I trained with Lady Shiva or anything," despite Alyn's lie, Dark Claw stood interested, her arm growing slack by her side.

Alyn caught Victoria's attention swiftly before making an incredibly subtle motion towards McKenzie.

"And what if I kill you then? You and the Huntress wannabe?" Dark Claw threatened. She pointed her sword at Victoria as she spoke, not realizing what she had done.

"You really _are_ stupid," Victoria teased as she pointed her loaded crossbow at the villain, gaining the younger girl's undivided attention.

The benefactor smirked, "Not as stupid as you all, apparently."

She slashed her sword down upon McKenzie's brow line, only for the weapon to ricochet against a force field surrounding the demigod. As the sword wobbled in her grip from the collision, Dark Claw fell victim to Victoria's crossbow as an arrow whizzed in her direction.

The younger teenager caught the arrow with one hand centimeters away from her nose.

* * *

Queen Bee's hand snaked it's way to the base of Logan's neck, her fingers tight as she applied light pressure to the area. Her touch was soft and warm, the pheromone-laced aura gaining strength the longer she held her position.

Raja struggled against the mental bonds that restrained him from moving, his teeth grit in anger at his lack of bodily control. His struggles became verbal as he started grunting in strain.

With a feminine and content purr, the villain leaned closer to Logan, ignoring the puffs of anguish coming from across the room. Her alluring blue eyes scanned the Russian's body, finding a source of danger before speaking darkly. "Why don't you take your dagger and slit your own throat?" Her command was threatening, a smirk spread across her face.

"No!" Raja's yell was deafening as he struggled to move once more, his body remaining in place like Queen Bee had previously instructed. "Logan, no!" The medic's hand traveled downward to one of his knives before he plucked the sharp instrument out from its sheath wrapped securely around his thigh.

Queen Bee turned away from him and stepped closer to the belligerent Raja, the younger boy screaming in desperation for his team mate.

"And as for you," Queen Bee started to address Raja once more, inches away from her next target. Her hands rose slightly to cup his face harshly, a satisfied taunt evident in her desired features. Raja closed his eyes tightly, not wanting to see the forced execution of his friend. His usual cool demeanor cracked greatly though as he heard Queen Bee's next command. "Open your eyes."

The Indian boy's dark brown eyes snapped open only to see the older woman topple onto him in an unconscious state. Her weight forced him to the ground in a jumbled heap.

Confusion crossed over Raja's facial features as he stared up at a seemingly unharmed Logan; the teen's knife handle occupying the space where Queen Bee's head had been. After a moment of surprise and overwhelming concern, Raja was finally able to speak. "You're okay?" He interrogated.

"Yeah, I think I'm good," Logan said as he placed his knife back in its sheath after flipping the sharp edge back into position.

The injured teen let out a quiet sigh of relief before his expression turned quizzical. "Wait, how did you manage to ignore her curse then?" Raja continued asking questions, his eyebrow raised.

"Queen Bee can only control people who sexually desire her," Logan explained as he offered Raja a hand to stand up.

Raja stared up at Logan for a hesitant moment, more confusion filling him. "So, you don't... sexually desire her?" Raja questioned in a state of accusing disbelief. With his free hand he accepted the boy's assistance, the other still pressed into his gunshot wound harrowingly. He scrutinized his team mate with a sharp and confused daze.

"You do know I'm gay, right?" Logan asked nonchalantly with a smirk, bending over slightly to pick up the unconscious militant dictator fireman style. The two boys locked eyes before Raja chuckled briefly.

* * *

Victoria didn't allow herself to react to Dark Claw's actions; instead, the archer chose to continuously shoot off her arrows in an unstoppable attack. Or what she had presumed was an unstoppable attack.

The younger villain was quick to block the flying weapons with her shortened katana, slashing them apart when they came near her. "Is that all you got?" Dark Claw teased in a nasty timbre, her smirk never faltering. She gripped onto her sword tighter as she prepared herself to attack one of the heroes.

Expecting the deadly fray, Alyn was quick to toss a smoke grenade at the ground. Then, with speed that would make the Flash jealous, the lawyer-to-be sprinted to McKenzie's side and pulled her to her feet. The meta grabbed the demigod's hand tightly before the two turned invisible.

 _Hopefully, Victoria was able to run away and hide,_ Alyn thought, her eyes filtering out the smoke to find the assassin or the archer. When the vapor dispersed, Alyn was pleased to see that Victoria wasn't in view and had hidden away from Dark Claw.

"Really?!" Dark Claw screamed in frustration, her eyes wild as she searched for her prey. "Come out and fight me, cowards!"

The desert stilled in silence after Dark Claw's outburst. The assassin held her sword out in front of her as she spun around cluelessly, frustration filling her. The silence continued.

"Fine," Dark Claw sneered in defeat. She retrieved something out of her utility belt before smashing it onto the ground. "But know this heroes, this is _not_ over and I _will_ kill you all!" For the second time that night, smoke filled the area around the girls.

The serpent held onto Alyn's hand tightly, too afraid to let go.

* * *

Yessenia ignored the stares from her team mates as she bent down to cradle the hand of one of the deceased. Without a second thought, she planted a small kiss on the limb before standing back up. "Hera will guide them now," the Amazonian informed the others with a slight frown.

Oliver smiled lightly in response to her claim, his eyes scanning the others to see their reactions. When he had called for assistance, he originally had hoped for Raja to come or even Victoria for that matter, but seeing Dani and Yessenia comforted him either way. Realistically he knew that nothing could be done for the giant grave site save awaiting for the rulers' uncontrolled attention, but leaving the bodies behind without telling anybody would have bothered him.

Dani gently tapped her foot on the shoulder of one corpse. "Weren't they trying to destroy the Justice League or something?" She asked, somewhat confused by the solemn manner of her team mates. "They were the bad guys. Shouldn't we be glad that they're dead?"

"They were forced to kill each other hermana. Even if they were bad guys they didn't deserve this," Angel explained to his friend, his arms crossed over his chest.

"Still," Dani argued back in a guttural tone, her stance matching Angel's. The others remained quiet as they looked around the room, blood spatter lining the floor, ceiling, and walls. "So, what should we do about _this_?" She motioned around her for emphasis when she spoke.

Noah spoke up for the first time since the two girls had arrived. "There is nothing we can do. They're already dead and we are wasting our time," his unusual snap sent shivers down the Amazon's spine; she had never heard that tone from the necromancer before.

The bat was the first one to leave the garage in pursuit of the team jet. He was tired, and he was cold, but above all, he was _hurt._

Yessenia and Oliver were quick to follow their friend, worried glances passed between them as they attempted to catch up with him.

* * *

 **Mount Justice**

 **September 1, 2017**

 **00:04**

Noah ran into an empty bathroom, his legs almost toppling underneath him as he stumbled. Using all the strength and speed he could muster, he slammed the door behind him and leaned against it with his weight. His chest heaved as he struggled to breathe.

"Oh, that's cute," a voice chuckled from the other side of the door. "You really think you're safe just because you locked yourself in the bathroom? I'm giving you until the count of three to come out before I kick this door down," the tone of the voice was daring and confident and could only belong to one person: Yessenia. The Amazon smirked as she 'loaded' her weapon of choice.

Most people lend a listening ear when they know that their friend is upset; Yessenia, on the other hand, was a firm believer that laughter was the best medicine. She knew that the necromancer was still upset over the mission, but she had hoped that she would be able to cheer him up with a simple water gun assault.

 _After all, this is how I got Victoria to originally talk out her feelings with me, _Yessenia reminded herself with a giant grin.

"Yessenia please," Noah pleaded, his breathing still coming out strangled, "At least wait until I'm out of my uniform." Yessenia snickered evilly once more, the boy's words falling on deaf ears.

The Amazonian princess gripped onto her water gun tightly as she smirked from ear to ear. "Don't be a baby," Yessenia teased Noah.

The warrior could hear the boy's sigh from behind the door and the prankster prematurely congratulated herself for her victory as Noah opened up the bathroom's barrier. He slowly stepped out, a frown plastered on his face as he slowly removed his uniformed trench coat. It wasn't long before the Amazonian warrior emptied out her gun's container onto him, her forever famous smirk spreading wider.

The older teenager dropped her gun to the floor, the toy bouncing up and down before settling. Overly zealous, the girl continued her taunt, "You should have learned by now not to fight against me," she teased in a humor-laced tone. "An Amazonian will always beat a bat."

"Is that so?" Noah challenged her, a small but growing smirk gracing his features as he bent down to pick up Yessenia's toy. He inspected it for a moment. "You have until the count of three before I chase after you..."

* * *

"Alright, follow my pen with your eyes for me please," Logan instructed the younger girl, one hand raised in front of Dani's swollen face. He moved the pen to the right side of her face before stilling his motion, watching as her eyes jumped back and forth rapidly.

Suppressing a groan, she followed the wavering instrument in disdain. "I'm fine," Dani informed the medic, her eyebrows furrowing in slight pain at her eyes' movement. Instead of replying to her claim, or rather argument, Logan simply hummed before retrieving a flashlight from the bedside table. He shined the instrument into her eyes and inspected the reaction.

Unlike most typical backlashes, Dani didn't flinch or retract from the sudden glow; instead, the girl simply locked eyes with the medic, an eyebrow raised in question. "Well," Logan started, pausing in his statement to turn off his flashlight, "you definitely have a concussion. Have you had one before?"

Dani rolled her eyes at his question, unable to control the obviousness she conveyed in her expression,"Yeah, I've been doing this for a long time. Concussions are just part of the gig."

Logan hummed once more in response, his eyes downcast as he searched through a medicine cabinet at the base of the cot Dani was seated on. Dani watched on in interest as he plucked a vial from the back of the storage unit.

"You know," Logan started. "I tried, but I wasn't able to find a medical report on you anywhere," he admitted as he stood up straighter, continuously reading the vial of Acephen as he did so.

"Are you going to harass me for one Doc?" Dani asked in an opposing tone, all the while eyeing the vial closely.

Logan smiled lightly at her response, the grin appearing crooked as it leaned more towards the right side of his face, "No, not yet at least. You need your rest."

Dani frowned deeply at his statement as if disgusted by his words. _I don't need rest. I need to train harder,_ Dani mentally argued with him, a glare joining her frown. She wasn't sure though if the cause was from Logan's remark or from her pain, but she glared nonetheless. Her glare intensified as Logan offered her a pill and an already cracked open water bottle.

Her pain slowly increased the longer she attempted to maintain her angered gaze, and she knew sooner or later she would fall victim to unconsciousness. "Fine," Dani mumbled in a defeated tone as she snatched both objects from him. Despite her previous apprehension, Dani nearly inhaled the pain reducer.

Logan patted her shoulder gingerly as he passed by her in pursuit of the living room, her figure already slumping down in the cot slowly as her eyes fluttered closed.

 _And tomorrow I will train harder,_ Dani resolved her internal conundrum before allowing herself to be forced into a medicated sleep.

* * *

Victoria fingered her new stitches in disappointment. With a deep but quiet sigh, the archer recounted the night's events once more.

 _McKenzie could have been killed!_ She scolded herself angrily, the disappointment filling her veins once more. She was supposed to protect her team mates, but in the end, she was powerless to save someone she cared about. _I'm powerless._ Ever since Dark Claw vanished into the Bialyan air that's all Victoria could think: how powerless and small she had been.

 _How pathetic I had been,_ she corrected herself, still playing with her freshly cleaned wound.

Alyn had been the real hero tonight despite how desperately Victoria was trying to push her away from the mission. Alyn had saved McKenzie.

Victoria wiped at her moistened eyes. _Pathetic._ The reiteration tightened her chest painfully. _Pathetic. Pathetic. Pathetic._

Her eyes scanned the rest of the darkened medical bay, fixating on the sleeping forms of her team mates.

Raja, after having a bullet removed from his body and his arm bandaged up in a sling, lay on the cot to Victoria's left. Next to him lay Sam, who hadn't even woken up from his original knock-out hours earlier, and next to him was Dani. Victoria searched for Alyn, before remembering that the woman had returned to her own home for the night.

With a deep-rooted sigh, Victoria found herself looking back over at McKenzie for the millionth time.

The serpent barely suffered any external injuries save for the small cut on her neck, which much to her pleasure, didn't even require stitches. Despite the below-mild nature of her wound, Victoria was still worried about the girl. There was so much she needed to say to the demigod: how much Victoria cared about her well-being, how important she was to the team, and above all, was she okay? McKenzie was normally quiet, but she had been too quiet after the simulation.

As if she could hear Victoria's thoughts, McKenzie turned her body to face the archer's cot. Her face sported dark circles fit enough to make the resident medic look rested, and McKenzie looked as if she had aged by a few years. All in all, Victoria hated the changes McKenzie had been going through.

 _Going through by herself,_ because Victoria knew that the serpent was being stubborn and refused to talk out her feelings with anybody. The Italian shook her head clean of her thoughts; she knew that if Yessenia were here she would call Victoria a hypocrite. _But Yessenia isn't here... She's isn't powerless..._

Victoria rubbed at her stitches, thinking _I may be the world's biggest hypocrite..._

* * *

 **Happy New Year everybody! I hope 2018 is kind to you all and that your year is filled with love and happiness. My new year's resolution is to update more frequently, so hopefully I am able to keep that promise.**

 **As always I am annoying and have questions for you all:**

 **1\. What nick names would your character call other characters?**

 **2\. What friendships/relationships would you like to see?**

 **3\. What would you like for me to elaborate on?**

 **4\. What would your character do if (s)he was accused of murder? How would your character react if a team mate was accused of murder?**

 **5\. What would you prefer to see: the team on Halloween or the team on Christmas?**

 **Also, if your character has not been getting the screen time you would want, just know that its because I'm planning to focus on them in an upcoming chapter. Happy readings!**


	13. Chapter 13

**El Paso**

 **September 3, 2017**

 **10:54**

The over-beaten and used pillow sat over the fifteen year old's face, blocking the invasive light protruding through the room's window. The window, which had been covered by nearly see through sheets hung by flimsy thumb tacks, revealed the boy's compact neighborhood greatly. He stirred, gripping onto the pillow tightly and pressing his fingers between the cloth as if to pull it deeper in his face. The light still shone.

Even if he wanted to continue sleeping, the screaming voice of his sister ricocheted around the small house, "¡Despierta, hermano!"

He groaned at her in an excessively loud tone, snapping back a mumbled and tired, "Silencio por favor." For a brief moment the plea of silence seemed to work and he was able to fool himself back into a state of relaxation, his eyes shut and his body calm. For some reason unbeknownst to him, Angel was still sore from the Bialyan mission, despite the lack of intense fighting on his end.

His muscles were fatigued and fell limp by his sides; however, the sound of his room door being opened scared him into movement. In a quick dash Angel threw his pillow off his face and pulled his blanket up to cover his exposed upper half from the woman.

"Alejandra!" Angel croaked, making sure that his body was covered completely.

"Did I not just say to wake up?" She asked him in a strained voice, a spatula wavering in her hand as she spoke. "Breakfast will get cold soon, and I will not reheat it for you," Alejandra threatened.

Angel motioned for her to leave his room with harsh head movements, his eyes wide as his eyebrows arched in expectation. The older girl rolled her eyes, but followed her younger brother's request nonetheless, closing the door behind herself to give Angel privacy to put on his clothes.

 _Thank God,_ the superhero teen exasperated internally at his now vacant room. Angel stood quickly then, and he surveyed the room in order to find a top to cover himself. He couldn't fathom his sister's reaction if she had witnessed the appearance of his unclothed body. _She would freak out, no doubt about it,_ he hypothesized as he plucked a gray short-sleeved shirt from his floor, _I know I did when I first saw it after the accident._

* * *

 _Angel walked down the darkened dirt-clad street, his eyes squinting to protect his vision from the ghastly rain falling down onto him. With one hand balancing on his brow ridge and the other stuck inside his jacket's pocket, Angel continued his stride home. Usually the teen had made it a point to return to his family's home when it was still light outside to minimize the chances of him being confronted by a gang member, but he accidentally lost track of time while staying over at a friend's._

 _Angel's heart pounded in his chest, practically beating against the inside of his rib cage as he neared the entrance to his neighborhood. Out of the corner of his eye Angel could see the figures of a trio and he quickly tried scuffling past them, his head down to avoid any possible eye contact._

 _That's when he heard the whimpering terror-filled voice of one of the figures._

 _Angel stopped his retreat and stood near the group, bringing his hand down to his other pocket where he knew he had his knife. "Hey! Leave her alone!" Angel demanded in the deepest and most intimidating voice he could muster. The woman, who had been backed into a wall, turned her head sharply at the sound of Angel's exclamation, relief flooding her as the two men stepped away from her._

 _The two looked Angel up and down before chuckling in amazement._ _Angel suddenly felt insecure as he quickly regarded his smaller stature. In comparison to the two grown men, Angel was less than fit to fight against anybody, but the boy knew he had no other options at this point. He had already attracted their attention onto him._

 _"Yeah? And what are you going to do about it,_ _niñito?" One of them asked. The two had abandoned the woman and were approaching Angel, soon becoming close enough to the teen that he was able to make out the shape of a pocket knife in one of their hands._

 _Angel attempted to stand taller, his shoulders squared and his hand clenching the blade hidden from the benefactors' sight. He was sure his breathing was coming out ragged and uneven as their bodies practically pressed into the teenager's chest. With one push, Angel was soon sitting in a puddle of mud._

 _The men cackled at Angel, "Even a woman wouldn't have fallen, you're a weak_ _niñito!"_

* * *

Angel shook his head, not wanting to continue the trip down memory lane.

The teen felt no nostalgia thinking back on how he attained his powers, but only remembered the excruciating pain he had been subjected to when he was struck by that lightning bolt. To this day, he still wondered why he was struck and why the bolt had even given him powers at all instead of killing him.

 _Maybe I would be dead if I hadn't been struck,_ Angel thought briefly as he continued getting more appropriate clothes. _Maybe they would have murdered me if I hadn't been struck,_ he continued. His mind was now rambling with ideas, but each felt meaningless. What happened had happened and there was nothing he could do to change that.

With his shirt now covering the angry lightning fabricated scars on his back and chest, Angel left his bedroom in pursuit of the kitchen.

* * *

 **Gotham City**

 **September 3, 2017**

 **23:08**

The archer pulled her dark purple cloak closer into her body, shivers running down her spine as the icy Gotham air licked at her skin. The sky, which was dark and cloudy, predicted the intimate weather that was sure to come, which only furthered the cold feeling filling her. With another wrack of shivers, Victoria redirected her focus onto Noah.

The necromancer stood at the end of the roof next to her, binoculars in hand as he surveyed the dimly-lit streets of the city. His jacket was pressed deeply into him, but it did close to nothing to soothe his naturally cold body temperature. Looking at him quaver, Victoria became incredibly grateful that she did not possess his powers.

 _I can't even begin to imagine how much colder he is than me,_ the archer thought. For a moment she considered reaching out to touch the bat in order to find out, but she figured that any touch might send him away from her.

"What are we looking for anyway?" Victoria asked him instead, her eyes floating back down onto the alley beneathe them.

Noah met her gaze, mumbling an unsure, "I don't know yet," in the archer's direction. As he spoke, the willowy and white puffs of breath escaped out of his mouth, and Victoria instantly felt sympathetic.

The two fell into silence then, neither of them speaking as they continued to stare down at the city streets below. Periodically, Noah would investigate the crackling of the police scanner he had brought with them on their excursion, but the city remained still and quiet, much to his displeasure. Victoria noticed his antsiness.

Eventually Victoria attempted conversation with the diviner again, "So why did you ask me to go on patrol with you?"

"You know the city," Noah flat toned, his eyes still peeping through the equipment. With a final sweep of the perimeter, Noah released his grasp on the binoculars to gaze upon the archer, continuing his explanation as he scrutinized her, "That and going on patrol with anyone in the batfamily sounds like hell right about now." He chuckled then, his tone light and airy.

Victoria smiled back, happy that he had proposed this adventure. This was the first time she had been alone with Noah, and despite his somewhat off-putting silence, she enjoyed the company. "I thought you didn't curse," she lightly joked, a devilish smirk growing on her face.

The boy half-heartedly grinned, his attention leaving her for what seemed like the millionth time. Victoria's smile wavered.

"You okay?" Her question was concern-filled, her voice soft. If it weren't for the tensing of his shoulders, Victoria probably would have believed his reply.

His smile still there, he said, "Of course I am. Are you?"

Victoria, unlike the two's more passive team mates, wasn't one to let things go easily. Gaining confidence, she nearly demanded that he answered her next question, "then why don't you want to patrol with your family?"

Noah chuckled, which confused the archer."One team is exhausting enough Vic, it's okay to want a break sometimes," his tone wasn't defensive, but he seemed unwilling to continue his confrontation with his problem.

She pressed on anyway, "Do we exhaust you?" Victoria wasn't offended, more curious as to his answer.

He shrugged in response, his head pointed down as he suddenly started reinspecting his utility belt with a disinterested expression. His eyes, which were still hidden beneath his domino mask, revealed nothing to the girl. "Not really, but Robin's and Red Robin's constant bickering can be," he admitted.

Victoria nodded. Even if he had said that the group was exhausting, she would have struggled to disagree.

* * *

 _The Amazonian princess cackled uncontrollably as a shriek erupted from the back of McKenzie's throat from a far off area. Despite the young serpent residing in a different room, Yessenia knew exactly what had occurred—she did plan it, after all._

 _The demigod marched out of the bathroom and into the living room, her eyebrows furrowed in anger, "Why are there frogs in the bathroom?!" She interrogated the small group, her eyes staring daggers primarily onto the expected perpatrator, who remained laughing. The Amazonian cackled despite the disapproving looks her team mates cast in her direction, a satisfied grin stretched almost painfully across her thin face. McKenzie turned to Logan angrily._

 _"You're the leader, can't you stop her from bothering me?" Her voice was pleading, her arms moving from it's crossed position onto one on her hips._

 _The medic ran a hand through his hair as he pulled his head down to look at his lap momentarily, a small sigh escaping from his mouth. "Could you two try getting along together, please?" Both girls looked defensive as they rambled their own explanations, Yessenia's loud and affirmative voice battling McKenzie's soft but temperamental one. Logan closed his eyes as they continued arguing, both of his hands shoved into their sockets as he repeatedly mumbled a quiet, "Guys please," in between their yells of fury._

 _Victoria, who had been busying herself with her homework, spoke up for the first time since McKenzie stormed into the room, annoyance evident as she said, "Yessenia, go clean up the bathroom. You can find someone else to prank later."_

 _The squabbling died off at the sound of Victoria's authoritative stance._

* * *

 **Happy Harbour**

 **September 4, 2017**

 **13:36**

The ex-assassin allowed herself to briefly smirk as she rounded the corner, the tired and labored pants of her team mates close behind her. The sweat that had been pooling at the edge of her brow line fell off of her face as she sprinted the final meters of the three mile track, before she slowed to a stop after crossing the finish mark.

Dani pushed her loose black locks behind her ear as she turned to welcome her slower comrades. "Don't wait up," Angel somewhat wheezed in a sarcastic manner, crossing the line only moments after her. The boy was drenched in his own sweat, the bodily fluids causing his shirt to stick to his back.

"I didn't," Dani replied in her signature flattened voice. She glanced down at her watch as Alyn and Sam jogged past the mark together, keeping their conversation in tact. To Dani and Angel, the track was nothing short of a race that needed to be won, but to the two older members, it was a relaxing way to stay in shape.

Angel squeezed out the contents of his water bottle into his mouth, desperate for the relief it would provide his aching lungs and dry throat. It was at moments like this that he loathed his powers, which demanded the extra water compared to the others.

Dani stretched as she waited for Angel to finish drinking, "Are we going to go again?" She asked the group. She would never admit it, but Dani often found herself enjoying the time she spent with the small trio. That and it was nice not having to worry about keeping watch on the larger team.

Alyn readjusted her bun, pulling the loose and sweaty strands around the band multiple times so it would keep it's place. "I can't, I have homework I need to do," the Turkish girl answered. As she did so, she looked down at Angel, who still struggled to breathe. "Are you sure you don't have asthma?" She asked him in a motherly coo.

Angel shook his head slowly, his hands resting on his knees as he stood in a bended fashion. His breathing could easily be described as wheezey. "Of course I don't have asthma," he promised through still labored breaths. Alyn placed a gentle palm on the small of Angel's back.

"Of course you don't, I'm sorry," the lawyer-to-be knew that realistically the boy probably suffered from asthma, but she figured that he would never admit to any form of weakness, especially in front of either her or Dani. Alyn stood up straighter and removed her hand from Angel's figure, a pointed look sent back to Sam.

The psychogist nodded curtly in understanding, before turning to Angel. "Can you help me walk back to the mountain? I think I sprained my ankle a mile back," Sam lied expertly. The Hispanic boy grinned, before quipping a 'no problem, old man' in the ginger's direction.

Dani, who had attempted to lag behind with the two boys, had been ushered ahead with Alyn. The older of the two girls sent one final glance back at the boys, before resuming her run with Dani back towards the base.

Once the two were out of sight, Sam stopped his limp-filled walk to stand in place. With wise eyes, he glanced down at Angel, the teenage boy still recollecting his oxygen from the run. "It's okay to have asthma, you know," Sam stated. "It doesn't make you any less of a hero than anyone else on the team."

"Don't start profiling me, Foster," the Mexican teen grumbled, resorting to calling Sam by his last name. "I know I don't have asthma. It was a three mile run for fucks sake, cut me some slack," he was angry, to say at the least. Nevertheless he continued his mini rant, upset that his team thought so little of him and so highly of what they proposed as his 'fragile masculinity', "I just get far more dehydrated than any of you, blame it on my powers for all I care."

Sam listened to his words carefully, absorbing the information the younger boy told him. Then, without a second thought, Sam passed Angel his own water bottle before revealing, "I wasn't profiling you, I just know how I feel about my own asthma."

Angel closed his eyes tightly as he accepted the adult's offer, the tips of his ears turning red in embarrassment. "I'm sorry," he mumbled in a quiet voice before replenishing his fluids, more apologetic about snapping at his elder more so than his supposed defency.

Sam shrugged nonchalantly. "It's okay. Let's just catch up with the girls."

* * *

Dani continued her stride, the wind pushing past her body as she advanced forwards. The duo ran up the flight of stone steps surrounding the mountain before reaching a miniature peak, a door hidden behind the foliage there. Pushing past the large leaves, Dani revealed the entryway for both her and Alyn.

Alyn was quick to enter the base, eager to return back to her home at Stanford. Any time she spent away from her daughter hurt the young mother more than she'd care to admit.

 _Especially since neither of my teams know about Mihrimah,_ even thinking about her child brought a smile to the woman's face.

The secret that she kept was more so out of trying to protect the young girl from the dangers of the hero world, not so much that she did not trust the others. _I also don't want to tell them why I have a three year old despite being only nineteen,_ Alyn reminded herself of the primary reason why she kept her daughter a secret; despite the miracle that had been Mihrimah, the conceivement of her daughter had not been.

Dani arched an eyebrow as Alyn quickly began her descend to the Zeta-Tubes; however, she remained quiet. Whether her silence was because she didn't care or because Alyn had left before she could say something, Dani didn't know.

"She was sure off in a hurry," Noah said, his thumb pointed at the Zeta-Tubes for emphasis.

From his seated position, Dani could see fighting calls scribbled across a notebook, which rested in his free hand. The necromancer brought his fist down as he felt the girl's murderous stare fixated on him. Before he could ask her if everything was alright, she walked past him and towards the showers.

"Alright, good talk," he mumbled to himself, his head shaking as he continued to examine his notebook. He lifted his blue pen from the paper momentarily, before rewriting a segment to better enhance the abilities he knew his team mates had.

* * *

 **S** **tanford California**

 **September 4, 2017**

 **15:11**

Alyn held a lock of her hair in between her fingers skillfully, placing the piece in a complicated braid neatly. She worked quickly, wasting no time in her transition to dress herself. It wasn't long before the towel that once clung to her body was hastily thrown onto the floor, her pajamas taking its place.

The nineteen year old Turkish woman smiled as her daughter's laughter erupted from behind the bathroom door in the girl's bedroom. With a bounce in her step, she opened the door and revealed both her daughter and mother sitting on her bed.

"There's mommy!" Her own mother mewed, her hands underneath the toddler's armpits to hoist her in the air. Alyn picked the child up, planting kisses all over the girl's chubby face.

"Thank you so much for watching her," Alyn said, kissing her mother on the cheek as she sat next to her on the cushiony mattress.

The older woman waved her hand in dismissal at the thanks. "I love Mihrimah and I love you," she said, "It was no problem."

Alyn smiled once more, happiness flooding her body as the girl held onto her hand, repeatedly chanting 'mama, mama, mama' through shouts of laughter. Alyn pressed her lips to the tip of the toddler's nose in reply to her calls, which only caused the girl to giggle louder and harder.

Alyn placed the girl on her knee, a hand on the back of her head as she played with her hair. "Does Mihrimah want to help mommy with her homework?" Alyn asked her jokingly. The toddler only repeated mama in reply.

* * *

 **Mount Justice**

 **September 4, 2017**

 **15:14**

Oliver ran into the living room of the base, skidding to a stop near Raja's muscular form. "I'm ready to visit my little sister!" He cooed happily, a smile spreading over his face as he hurriedly layered himself with a jacket.

Raja rolled his eyes as he struggled to put his shoes on with one arm, the other still hanging securely from a sling. "You mean _my_ sister," Raja reminded the older teen, his face hard.

"Well she loves me more," Oliver fauxly pouted. The mixed teen offered Raja a helping hand with his sneakers, but he neglected the offer, his eyes still scowling. Oliver stood up straighter before asking, "she's not doing well, is she?"

Raja's breath hitched in his throat slightly as he paused his action of tying his shoes. His head was hung low, his black hair falling onto his forehead to conceal his expression. The two remained silent as the Muslim boy shook his head solemnly.

Oliver was suddenly extremely grateful for the vacant base, knowing that his more private companion preferred the secret to be kept. He knew it wasn't that he didn't enjoy the others' company or friendships, but it was that he never wanted to be vulnerable to anybody else but Oliver.

 _Even though I only know by accident,_ Oliver thought as he watched Raja slowly put his jacket on. If the teen hadn't found a picture of Raja's sister hidden under the boy's pillow weeks ago, he might never have seen the more delicate side of Raja.

The technician knew that Raja was bottling up an entire flood of emotions about his sister through the stiff body language Raja displayed. His knees were locked as he stood, his shoulders slouched despite Raja's usual stature. "We should stop and get her flowers," Oliver suggested in a hopeful voice. He desperately wanted to see his friend smile, and he had hoped that the offer would get Raja to grin even remotely. Raja remained stoic.

"Let's just get going," Raja deadpanned as he walked towards the Zeta-Tubes, Oliver in pursuit behind him.

"Oh, and a teddy bear!"

* * *

 **Grady Hospital**

 **September 4, 2017**

 **16:00**

"Right this way, Mr. Saif," the nurse said as she guided both Raja and Oliver through the hospital halls.

With each passing step fear etched itself into the Muslim teen, Raja finding it difficult to smother away. The boy knew it was selfish for him to be afraid, that if anybody had the right to be that it should be Noor, but he couldn't stop the painstakingly familiar pain from filling him the closer they got to his sister's newly assigned room.

When they reached the door, the nurse stopped her walk. "Only immediate family members have visitation rights at this time," she informed the two, her eyes focusing on Oliver's smiling form. Instantly Raja could see the boy's disappointment, but his grin never faltered; instead, the technician shoved a giant stuffed bear into Raja's arms, as well as the bouquet of flowers he had been balancing in his mouth.

"Tell her I said hi," Oliver instructed him. "And hey, I'll be right outside if you need me," the positivity was needed, the fear still churning in Raja's stomach. Both the nurse and his friend smiled reassuring at Raja, but it did little to help him.

The stoic man took a deep breath before entering the room, his eyes instantly finding his little sister. Even though the girl was much leaner, Raja instantly recognized her. "Hello Noor," Raja greeted with a small grin, walking closer to the girl's bed to be by her side.

The small eight year old waved a sickly hand, the skin bruised and blotched at certain angles. Noor poked at the bear for a moment, before reaching out to grab a hold of her brother's much larger hand.

Raja felt himself both relax and tense at the same time. Seeing his sister always made him happy, but seeing her ill form depressed him—he had hoped that she was recovering. Instead, upon his arrival he had been informed that the girl he swore to protect until his death, was more likely to die before he was.

He kissed the top of his sister's bald head, trying to surpress the tears he knew were clouding his vision. "How are you doing today beautiful?" Raja asked her. Without releasing his hold on her grip, he used his free hand to pull a chair close.

"Bhai beautiful, not me," she replied in her limited English, resorting to the Urdu word for brother in her claim. Raja's eyes softened at her retort.

"You are very pretty, Noor," he cooed to the child. She giggled at the softness her usually angry brother showed her, her eyes floating back to the presents.

Her grip on Raja slowly weakened before she grabbed onto the bear, hugging it tightly into her chest.

Raja smiled gently as he pulled the girl closer to kiss her once again. "Oliver thinks you're very pretty too," Raja whispered to her before poking her in her side teasingly.

Noor laughed gleefully, "Ollie thinks Logan is prettier." Raja tried his best to not chortle loudly, but failed greatly as he thought back to his friend's antics.

"Logan is really pretty, but I promise you're prettier," Raja complimented the girl. She smiled greatly before yawning, her head resting against her brother's arm as her eyes fluttered shut.

Raja sighed sadly at the sight of his baby sister falling asleep. It seemed that her ability to remain awake had lessened each time he came to visit her, and the boy could tell even without the doctor's information that she was struggling to fight against her leukemia.

Raja eventually lost track of time, only allowing himself to leave Noor's side when her doctor had asked him to leave. With a deflated look, he offered her fragile hand a tight squeeze before he stood up.

"We will call you if there are any changes regarding her health," the doctor reassured him with a polite expression, watching as Raja left the room with a tight smile.

The door shut behind him the moment both of his legs were out of the room, hushed whispers filling the space he just left as doctors and nurses conversed with one another. Raja sighed once again, his head turning to the left to see Oliver sitting in a waiting room.

When the older boy realized that his friend had left the private setting, he quickly made his way over. "Is she doing okay?" Oliver asked as soon as Raja was in ear shot.

Without skipping a beat, the teen teased his friend, "You wrote to Noor that you thought Logan was pretty?"

Oliver's expression turned to one of relief, more than ecstatic that Raja appeared better after his visit. "The letters I write to my sister are very private mister," Oliver quipped back with a devilish smirk.

Raja didn't have the heart to remind him that Noor was his sister this time around.

* * *

 **Mount Justice**

 **September 4, 2017**

 **21:44**

Oliver gripped the ledge of the living room's jade sofa, hoisting himself over the edge to land onto the cushions below. His soft thud caused Noah to glance up from his position across the room, but besides that, Oliver's presence remained ungreeted by the room's occupants. For most of the team members, they sat quietly doing their own separate work or watching the television in interest.

Dani, for instance, held the television remote in her hand, her back leaning against the coffee table as she sat on the floor. Her eyes were glued to the screen as she watched the lacrosse game continue, uncharacteristically unbothered by the others' presence. Oliver grinned lightly at the scene, glad that she was getting more comfortable with the large team.

 _I am just glad that the air isn't as stiff at the base anymore,_ Oliver thought as his eyes surveyed the room. There was no bickering, there was no blood, and everybody seemed to be relaxed for the most part, even Raja.

Oliver grinned widely before repositioning himself on the couch to be more comfortable: his legs swung over to rest on Logan's lap while his head rested on Victoria's, both remaining silent by the sudden action. He stared up at Victoria with soft eyes, before they floated to land on Logan.

"We should do something together," Oliver suggested as he looked between the two adults before finally looking around the room. Besides Dani, who remained engrossed to the televised sport, the group looked over at Oliver. "Like play Poker!" He sat up in excitement, nearly knocking over the book in Logan's hands.

"That could be fun!" Yessenia agreed almost instantly, clapping her hands together as she stood. "Besides, anything has to be better than sitting in silence," she continued. The Amazonian princess crouched down into an Indian style sitting arrangement at the coffee table, waiting for her friends to join her.

Angel chortled from his position on the floor, a ball resting in his hands momentarily, "You're all going to lose. Its impossible to win when you play with Sam." He then tossed the ball into the air, catching it as gravity brought it back down to him.

"I don't know, I'm pretty good at poker," Noah smirked in a challenging tone, his gaze falling onto the forensic psychologist. The man in question shook his head heavily, a bored expression on his face as he monotoned his response.

"No offense, but I know everything about you. All of you. I would be able to call all of your bluffs," Sam explained, still uninterested as he continued his own work. Dani and Angel seemed unsurprised by his claim, but the rest all looked at each other in an uncomfortable silence.

Raja crossed his arms over his chest, a scowl on his face, "What do you mean you know everything about us?" His tone was venomous. Sam shrugged.

Oliver, always seeing the positives, grinned mischievously, "Now I _have_ to know what you think you know about me. Tell me all about me, doc." The technician rested his head on his propped arm, his expression interested. By now, all eyes focused on Sam.

"Oliver," Sam started in a chilling tone, "you don't want to know what I know."

The technician scoffed, "I'm calling you bluff, you don't actually know shit about any of us."

"Really?" Sam questioned, his gaze focusing on his papers still. Without looking up, he began, "I can tell you that the whole childish act is because you didn't have much of a childhood. You probably had to grow up too quickly to really enjoy yourself." There was a pause as the others redirected their attention onto Oliver in concern, but the boy's smirk never faltered.

"That's all?" Oliver urged Sam to continue his analysis, still eager to find out the knowledge the psychologist had.

The older man smirked cockily. "Your nose is crooked because it didn't heal properly when it was broken, so I'm guessing someone close to you hit you and you didn't want to go to the hospital and explain it," he finally looked up to examine Oliver's reaction.

Oliver rubbed at the back of his neck sheepishly, his smile still plastered on his face. "Yeah, my mom was off her medication at the time," he confirmed, "You're really good though." Despite the somewhat dark explanation, Oliver appeared relaxed at his statement, not bothered by everyone knowing about his mother. Then, in a voice that surprised all the team members, Oliver said, "Alright, tell me something about somebody else."

Sam, amused by the outburst, looked about the room briefly. "Well I can tell you that Yessenia is currently off her medication," he replied. The Amazonian opened her mouth in slight shock, her eyebrows scrunching together in surprise as she yelped a defensive 'hey!'.

Oliver chuckled deeply, his gaze focusing on the next victim of his attack. McKenzie, who had remained quiet the entire time as she read her book, looked uncertain as Oliver called out her name. Sam paused for a moment, debating what he should reveal, before concluding, "You're reading the medical book because you're afraid that someone will get hurt and it'll be your fault."

McKenzie blinked back her surprise, her breath hitching in her throat at the notice. The room suddenly seemed colder as she slowly closed her book and slid it under her body. She chewed on the inside of her cheek as Yessenia placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder, the serpent's hand wringing uncomfortably in her lap.

The demigod hoped that Oliver would quickly say someone else's name to get the attention off of her, and, as if the technician could read minds, he said, "Okay, what about Logan?"

Sam stared down at the medic for a brief moment, "All of the above."

"What about Noah?" Oliver continued his stride. The necromancer became visibly uncomfortable as he played with the deck of cards in his hands, his eyes hard.

"I think I got the point. You would win at poker," Noah mumbled lamely, not wanting the ginger-haired man to reveal anything about him to the large group. The diviner shuffled out the Joker cards before placing the rest of the deck back in its casing, his eyes hidden from the teens.

 _And besides,_ Noah internalized, _I could finish exactly what Sam would say about us. Victoria probably has undiagnosed anxiety, Raja pretends to be emotionless because he doesn't trust us, and me? I'm a monster._

* * *

 **Mount Justice**

 **September 5, 2017**

 **06:30**

Yessenia adjusted the straps of her back pack to be tighter, the articles of clothing inside causing the bag to bulge almost comically as she fumbled with the piece. Eventually the Amazonian emerged from her room, her bag, sword, and shield all with her. As she descended down the hall, Angel and Sam came walking down past her.

"Where are you headed?" Angel asked her as he motioned towards her sword. "Do we have a mission?"

The Amazonian princess placed her sword into her sheath, figuring that it's better suited there than in her grasp as she conversed. "To Themiscyra; my mother awaits me there," her tone was far more formal than either boy had heard from her before, but they decided not to comment on it.

"Isn't that the island with no men?" Angel asked her somewhat rhetorically, already knowing the answer before the girl could reply. Ignoring the disapproving and weary look from Sam, Angel continued speaking, "That must be a boring trip."

Yessenia held her head high as she retorted, her hands itching towards her sword. Her patience with Angel had always been thin, but to hear the ignorance he had for her home infuriated the girl. She decided to be civil though, her fists clenching and unclenching tightly by her side as she replied, "I am actually being honored to the highest degree in Amazonian culture, men are unneeded in this case."

Angel rolled his eyes as Sam beat her in speech, "Congratulations Yessenia, Angel and I are very proud of you!" Before grabbing a hold of the younger boy's shoulders and pushing him along.

Yessenia, somewhat perplexed but otherwise uncaring, continued her exit into the living room. Both Victoria and McKenzie stood at the exit, smiles spread about as they waited for Yessenia.

"We are so proud of you!" Victoria cheered for her best friend, pulling the girl into a hug as she neared the exit. The Amazon held onto her friend tightly, her eyes squeezed shut in bliss.

"Let us know how it goes," McKenzie interrupted the two's hug with her own sentiment before being pulled into the older girls' grip.

Yessenia was the first to pull away, her hands lingering on the figures of what she considered to be both of her best friends. "I wish you two could come with me," she exclaimed.

Victoria rolled her eyes fondly, "We will always be with you metaphorically. When you get back though, we will have our own celebration together." Yessenia beamed brightly at the future plans, happy that even if she wouldn't be able to originally celebrate her honor with her friends that she would be able to when she returned back to her second home.

With one final hug to her friends, Yessenia turned to the Zeta-Tubes, excitement stiff in the air. As the lights surrounding her turned white, Yessenia could hear McKenzie call out one final thing to her: "I am so proud of you!"

* * *

 **Themiscyra Island**

 **September 5, 2017**

 **09:15**

Yessenia held her bow in her left hand, and the right pulled the taunt string deep into her chest. The notched arrow fixated itself on the string briefly, resting between the girl's fingers before flying outwards towards it's target. With accuracy that would make her archer friend proud, the Amazon princess hit her mark in a near perfect spot—the sand-filled bag splitting open and releasing it's contents onto the grassland.

Yessenia gave herself minimal time to celebrate her victory. For the amazons, archery was an important, if not essential, skill, and despite her _near perfect_ shot, it still _wasn't_ perfect.

The teenager took ahold of another arrow and put it in it's place upon her weapon. Once again the arrow zipped through the Themiscryan air and struck it's target, more sand escaping it's container.

"You're getting better," Diana congratulated her daughter as she walked down the stone steps onto the grassland. She joined Yessenia's side with a proud smile.

"Thank you mother," Yessenia replied in a formal tone, slightly bowing her head as she did so.

The Justice League founder wrapped her arms around the girl to better position the bow. "Though you will always be off center if you focus too much on your weapon and not so much on your target," the older woman advised wisely before releasing her hold on the smaller girl. Yessenia nodded. As Yessenia took a deep breath in to steady her fatigued limbs, she allowed the arrow to escape her grasp.

"Wonderful!" Wonder Woman cooed as the arrow implanted itself dead center of the sack, which sat twenty yards away. A quiet rupture of clapter forced Yessenia's attention away from her mother's word. At the perimeter of the training field near the steps, Hippolyta stood clapping along with a handful of other amazonians. Yessenia grinned shyly, her eyes focusing on the ground in attempts to contain her blush. With an endearing smile, Diana placed a hand upon her child's shoulder.

"One day she will rule us all, right mother?" Diana called out to Hippolyta, her hand unwavering from Yessenia's shoulder.

The blush grew on the young girl's face as the woman in question laughed aloud sweetly. "That would not surprise me," her voice was joyful yet incredibly serious, her eyes hard. Hippolyta then turned to leave with her women, but not before making her dinner arrangements, "We will be having a feast in Yessenia's honor later, and please," her smile seemed genuine, "don't come in your sweaty garments."

"You should be proud of your sweat," Diana joked lightly as her mother departed, patting her daughter's shoulder. "But I would change if I were you. I left a dress in your quarters," the woman continued with a smile, her accented voice high with happiness.

Yessenia looked down at the traditional Amazon battle clothing she was currently wearing. "I think I look dignified," Yessenia chortled.

* * *

 **Let me know what you guys think, and don't forget to check out the blog. From now until the next update, I'll be filling out prompts about the characters to keep you guys interested and happy. Happy readings!**


	14. Chapter 14

**Mount Justice**

 **September 10, 2018**

 **00:22**

"I'm back from Themiscyra!" Yessenia called out into the base, a victorious smile spread across her face as the bright lights from the Zeta Tube dissolved into nothingness. "And I brought back presents!"

Her arrival went unnoticed as the rampant screaming and yelling continued in front of her, the large team all huddled close to one another in a giant fight. Sam, with his arms up to protect his face, lay under Victoria, the latter of the two being lifted off of the ground by Raja as she pointed a sharpened arrow at the red-haired man. The Muslim teen had also been cursing in a non-English dialect, his body jerking backwards and forwards as he balanced Oliver on his back.

"Why would you remind her of that!?" Victoria snapped as her arms flailed about, an angry expression seething venom towards the forensic psychologist.

Yessenia stared at the group with a confused face, before dropping her bags on the floor loudly. "Alright," the Amazonian bellowed out as she rolled the sleeves to her sweater up to her elbows, "Why am I about to fight Sam?"

* * *

 _Earlier that week..._

* * *

 **Gotham Central High**

 **September 7, 2018**

 **07:39**

Victoria anxiously twiddled her thumbs as she waited, her fingers intertwined in her hands as they sat rested on top of her lap. Her right foot, in a nervous disposition similar to her hands, bobbed up and down repeatedly in anticipation. Sweat had also began to pool at her temples' ridges, and the archer had to fight the urge to wipe at her face wildly. Her hands remained still, her knuckles white from pressure.

The room's door suddenly opened, and the recruiter exited with a sorrowful grin. Her anxiety settled; her body stilling as it filled with disappointment. The archer already knew what the older woman was going to say to her.

As the college admissions head looked down at Victoria, she began to speak to the younger girl in a thick British accent, "Thank you for applying to MIT, Miss Sage, we will be in touch. Have a nice day." After looking back at the girl once again, the older recruiter shut the door, leaving Victoria alone once more. Her grip hardened exponentially.

If silence had a sound it was what Victoria was experiencing then. She felt the blood rush to her ears and face, the sound somewhat deafening in her own head. "Damn," Victoria cursed with a deep exhale, her cranium falling to a heap in her now opened hands.

 _Maybe if I added my vigilante work to my resume..._ Victoria mentally squabbled, trying to force herself into a more humorous mood. Even if she didn't get into the esteemed university, she knew she had safety schools lined up for her as backup. _But it doesn't change anything... I should have been doing more at school, to do something with my life outside of beating up criminals..._

Victoria slowly stood up, her fingers reaching down to pull her navy skirt closer to her knees. _I won't throw a pity party for myself. I was already accepted into Georgia Tech and Carnegie Mellon..._ With her head held high in mock confidence, the archer strut out of the small building, the receptionist waving her goodbye as she did so.

When she entered her vehicle—a somewhat messy car with the faint smell of fast food lingering in the air, Victoria pulled out her cell phone and opened up her messages. With her best friend in visit to a secluded area, her notifications were unnaturally bare. Biting her bottom lip in attempts to remain level-headed, Victoria typed on her phone's keyboard.

She sent a text to the Amazon anyway, figuring that when she returned to the states she would read her message: "I'm hosting a beach party for when you get back, we need to celebrate your awesomeness!"

Victoria figured that if she were to be miserable, she might as well be miserable whilst congratulating someone else. She pressed send before starting her car, her thoughts returning to the less than fantastic interaction.

* * *

 **Mount Justice**

 **September 7, 2018**

 **11:20**

The dirt-stained shoulder pads and chest armor bounced off of Dani's back as she entered the living room, the action resulting in a dulled but repeated thumping sound. Despite her best efforts to draw the string in closer to her armpit to eradicate the noise, the bumping still continued with each individual step she took.

Eventually, the sound caused the living room's occupants to look up in curiosity, but Dani ignored their stares. She dropped her gear to the ground along with her colored duffel bag and squatted in place, her hands working to tie the shoelaces to her cleats.

"Where are you going?" Raja asked the younger girl, his current action of eating forgotten. He watched on in interest as she stood up straight once again, her abundant amount of accessories finding place in her hands or slung across her shoulders again.

"Out," Dani retorted lamely, not bothering to make eye contact with the Indian boy.

Raja stopped chewing his food at her reply, "You know that answer isn't good enough, right?"

Dani continued to ignore her new found team mates, but their stares proved to be more lethal than Superman's beams. Raja, with his left eyebrow raised, watched her intensely, whereas McKenzie appeared concerned.

 _McKenzie is always concerned though,_ Dani snapped bitterly with another eye roll.

Using her hip to balance her equipment, Dani struggled to not drop everything during her crusade to the garage. In the end, it was not a surprise that she dropped her helmet in the process.

"Do you need any help?" McKenzie all but chirped cheerily as the helmet clattered, standing to her feet before Dani could even answer her question. Dani struggled to suppress her annoyance.

Instead of her blue eyes remaining focused on her discarded helmet, which sat sideways on the floor, the orbs found refuge in the back of her head yet again; she groaned a sonorous, "Fuck off Mack," before kicking her helmet against the wall. The demigod stopped her objective stretch at the younger girl's sneer, her eyes blinking rapidly in stupefaction.

 _Fuck,_ Dani scolded herself before Raja could, his expression hard and defensive for McKenzie's saddened stature. In a tone similar to a forced apology, Dani muttered a monotoned, "Sorry."

Throughout the stiff interaction, Raja made a stride towards Dani, and, before she could stop him as well, he picked up her helmet and threw it under his arm, pressing it against his lower rib cage. "Thanks," she attempted to subdue her umbrage, but it still seeped through her words like venom.

Her icy eyes slide off of the Muslim boy and onto the demigod, who had sat back down on the couch to continue to read her book. Dani sighed, _Leave it to me to push everyone away._

McKenzie pretended not to peek at the two as they retreated into the other room, the book her counterfeit attention holder in the process. When she was sure they were completely gone however, the serpent slammed her novel shut and stood to her feet. All the serpent wanted at the moment was to be alone—her pace towards her quarters slow and thought-filled, her hatred protruding in her appearance.

She despised the way that Dani always scrutinized her and her actions, the way that her gaze seemingly penetrated holes through her body as if they knew all of the girl's secrets; she despised how much the teenager hated her and constantly cursed at her...but she also despised how she knew she would not do anything about the mistreatment.

McKenzie accessed her bedroom in no time, her door shutting closed behind her as harshly as her book had previously been.

* * *

"So what's the emergency?" Noah asked as he calmed his sporadic sprint, a slight heave to his voice as he inhaled oxygen greedily. His phone, which was still held in the necromancer's tight fist, flashed red and white interchangeably with the word 'Escape' bold and blinking. His head spun around rapidly before anybody could reply, and he absorbed the scene of a quarter of his team mates suiting up diligently.

Sam, in the midst of shoving his arms in an ivory jacket, answered the smaller boy, "We finally have coordinates on Killer Frost. Suit up." His command had the young bat excited, a smirk growing on his face. As the boy ran towards the locker rooms to change into his winter costume, he hastily shed his outer layers and left them on the floor to sit.

Alyn placed a hand on her hip, her fingers pressing deeply into the plush white jacket she wore. "Is it really the best idea to have so many of us go?" Her question was directed at the ginger, who simply shrugged her off without a second thought.

"Killer Frost is dangerous," was his firm retort to the Turkish woman. The lawyer-to-be sighed quietly, not too ecstatic to have another younger member join the two's mission. If anything, she would have preferred Raja or Logan's company on the squad, but she was forced to settle with Noah, McKenzie, and Angel instead. She sighed at the thought, especially as her eyes rested on his discarded jacket.

Noah had been quick to change, his usually dark costume design much lighter: even his ebony locks had been covered by a slim and unpigmented hood. Upon the diviner's return, Sam redirected the group down towards the hanger, or more specifically, towards the team's jet.

Alyn had to force herself to not mother the younger members, all of which appeared too intrigued for such a potentially dangerous mission. As they all boarded the aircraft, she continued to watch the group.

"I'm going to the cockpit, stay out here with them," Sam's voice interrupted her thoughts as he walked past her; she nodded at his instruction despite wanting to join his side. Out of all of the team members, he had been the one she felt safest around.

 _Most vulnerable, but most safe,_ she corrected herself internally as she chose her seat near the exit.

* * *

 _Alyn flinched as she felt the barrel of a handgun press into the back of her cranium, her eyes slowly closing in intimate panic. Shit, she mentally disciplined herself._

 _Her hands stopped fumbling in the criminal's work desk, and instead found a position by her ears in a surrendering stance. She stood up fully._

 _"It's not polite to snoop," the taunting timbre of a man sneered into her ear. His left hand found refuge on her shoulder after his remark, before caressing the nape of her neck lightly and leading her away from his property. His fingers tugged on the strap of her dress, pulling one of them down below her shoulder._

 _Alyn's breath hitched in her throat once again. His tone was suggestive, and his roaming hands did nothing to ease her tension. Her eyes closed again tightly._

 _The sound of the door opening again startled her, her eyes flashing open to survey the area. Sam stood at the entrance of the office in his party attire, his expression looking relieved as his eyes met hers. "There you are!" He cooed in a feign manner._

 _The man released Alyn from his touch and stepped back away from the two, his pistol now lowered to his hip. In a pace quick enough to make the Flash proud, Alyn joined Sam's side; and, as she scurried, the woman slid her dress back on her clavicle properly._

 _When she was within arm's distance of the ginger, Sam grabbed a rough hold of Alyn, his fingers wrapping around her waist tightly as he brought her closer to him. Her face contorted into one of confusion and fear, her breath caught in her throat once more. This time however, her body trembled from harsh memories._

 _The man looked down at her. "You'll have to trust me," he whispered, his breath cool on her face as he spoke. Alyn could only nod, her voice not listening to her brain's commands to speak back. "Okay, good," Sam muttered back, before tossing the woman behind him harshly._

 _Alyn gasped as her body crashed into a thin and flimsy window, the glass collapsing in on itself from her added weight. The shattered remnants fell with her from the top of the twelve story building to the concrete sidewalk below; however, the broken pieces were the only objects which made contact with the ground._

 _With hesitation Alyn opened her eyes, her brown orbs finding focus on her savior: Sam stood there, his arms wrapped tightly around her frame in a cradle. "You good?" He asked her, his eyes checking her for any injury._ _She nodded slowly as she pushed herself away from his imposing stature, her hand lingering on his chest for a moment._

 _Alyn was incredibly lucky for the older man's fast brain, and even luckier for his faster moving powers._

* * *

 **Valdez, Alaska**

 **September 7, 2018**

 **12:26**

Angel's pointer finger traced circles in the lake's water, the appendage causing breaks and dips to fabricate in intricate details in the liquid. He was incredibly bored, to say at the least, with nothing better to do than disturb the nature. "I thought you said we found her," he complained, his eyes still focusing on his playful distraction, his face scrunched in concentration.

McKenzie's eyes lingered on his hand movements as well, her face expressionless as she replied flatly, "It could have been a mistake in the reading." The serpent glanced up to look at Sam and Alyn, both of which were scrutinizing the plain with hard eyes; Sam's hand up at his eyebrow ridge to shield his view from the invasive sun's gleams.

"It wasn't a mistake," Sam informed the two younger teenagers, ignoring the eye roll coming from Angel as he did so. Instead, he stared down at the infrared scanner in his palms and searched for any abnormal cold spots.

Sam couldn't deny the monotony though, especially as he watched his younger comrades sit and play with their surroundings, a miniature snowman perched next to the serpent girl in almost a taunt. He glared down at the child-like build, his eyebrows furrowed.

Alyn pulled her coat deeper into her chest as the wind bellowed past her, the winter air sending a cascade of shivers down her spine. "Should we really be waiting outside? One of us could get sick," the Muslim girl reasoned with the ginger as she shuffled closer to him, her body practically resting on his front.

Sam sighed as he brought his hand up to his face, his fingers pinching the bridge of his nose in aggravation. "Alright, fine. We can put the jet into stealth mode and wait inside," Sam said. At his agreement Alyn feigned a small grin and, with a tentative and supporting hand, touched his coated bicep.

"Come on guys," Alyn called out to McKenzie and Angel, her free hand waving them over and away from the semi-frozen lake.

With one last touch towards the water, Angel stood to his feet shakily. As he did so though, the Hispanic boy offered out a hand for McKenzie's aid. She took it gingerly, a soft spoken 'thank you' following suit along with a shy smile.

As the two clumsily shuffled to Alyn, they heard her calling out to Noah, who had wandered off by himself.

* * *

 **Mount Justice**

 **September 7, 2018**

 **12:54**

Oliver entered the confines of the kitchen wearily as the sounds of hushed humming and quiet noises escaped the room and traveled throughout the already extremely quiet base. The technician did not know exactly what he had been expecting to see when he entered, but it wasn't this. He smiled.

The mixed teen walked closer to the counter top, and evidently Logan, with an extremely happy expression. "What are you making?" Oliver questioned the smaller boy, his hand travelling to touch the medic's shoulder lightly.

"Pirozhki," Logan informed quietly, not bothering to look up at Oliver as he spoke.

Without missing a beat, Oliver replied to the teen's words with a flat toned 'bless you', his hands moving to playfully touch the powdery substance ahead of him.

Logan stopped balling up the dough at Oliver's exclamation. "Did you-? Do you think I just sneezed?" He asked in a bewildered tone, his eyes hard on the other male. "I'm making Pirozhki, Oliver. It's a Russian pastry," Logan explained with a small and crooked smile.

"Piro-," Oliver started to mimic Logan's pronounciation, "Pyro-...no peero... Can you say it again?"

Logan chuckled as he finally resumed his earlier activity, shaking his head side to side curtly as he said, "You're too cute. It's 'perohzshekey'."

"Sneeze food," Oliver dead-panned in a teasing juxtaposition, his arms crossing over his chest in truimpth. In truth, Oliver had stopped listening to the Russian after he had called Oliver cute, a 'larger-than-life' grin spreading across the technician's face.

Logan simply smiled at Oliver's joke, his hands already going back to work with his dessert. "Can you pass me an egg?" He asked.

 _Oh sure, I can pass you an egg,_ Oliver internalized his childish thought as he took a hold of said ingredient in his left hand, before throwing it at the back of the teen's head. If Oliver had thought the boy looked bewildered earlier, it meant nothing in comparison to his new expression as Logan quickly spun around to gape at the larger man. Before he could even ask why, Oliver had pelted him with three more eggs, all the while laughing maniacally.

"Damn it Oliver!" Logan cursed as he attempted to shield himself from the attack. "Knock it off!"

"Make me!" The mixed teen challenged in between fits of laughter, moving to throw flour at the medic instead.

By the time Oliver had finished his attack, Logan stood with his body and clothing either dripping with yolk or covered with flour, the walls, ceiling and floor looking like a kitchen crime scene. With another smirk, Oliver said, "You got a little something right there," before bringing his thumb towards Logan's face and wiping his cheek.

"Oliver?" Logan questioned, which caused the technician to lower his hand with a quiet 'hmmph?' "You got a little something right there," he said, cracking an egg on the boy's forehead.

* * *

 **Themiscyra Island**

 **September 7, 2018**

 **13:00**

Yessenia stared at her reflection with hard eyes, surveying every miniscule detail of what she considered her painted face. Her naturally tan complexion burned a slight pink on her cheeks, a highlighter making her sharp face even sharper and her cheekbones even higher.

The Amazonian Royalty brought her lipstick tube towards her mouth, coloring the area a darker shade; however her eyes never left her own eyes, her eyelids glittered with the Amazonian gold.

"You look beautiful," her mother's accented voice complimented from behind her.

Yessenia's eyes slid off of her own and greeted her mother's own brown. "Much better than my fighting garments, huh?" Yessenia lightly joked with a small grin.

Diana smiled back at her daughter, "Yes, much better. The royal blue is fair with you," the older princess continued to compliment.

"Thank you mother," Yessenia replied. Normally the Hispanic teen would not be considered so uptight and formal, but the day's future events resulted in the girl's proper manner; she even stood up straight, even if she was her only company.

The Wonder Woman placed a tentative hand on her daughter's head, her fingers wrapping around Yessenia's dark ringlets. "I have a gift for you," Diana cooed happily, unable to contain her own excitement as she removed her other hand from behind her back.

Yessenia instantly gasped, her hand covering her mouth in shock. "Your tiara!"

"No Yessenia, it's your tiara," Wonder Woman corrected, as she placed her own head piece upon Yessenia and her forehead. "There, now you are ready for your feast," Diana said.

The younger Amazonian nearly teared up as her eyes dashed back towards her mirror to gaze upon her perfected reflection.

 _So this is what confidence and true beauty feels like,_ Yessenia thought to herself, inspecting the bronze piece with admiration. For years she had only known for it to grace her mother, but now, now it was hers to behold.

Yessenia stood to her feet, "I am ready!"

* * *

 **Valdez, Alaska**

 **September 7, 2018**

 **14:06**

The necromancer shifted his sitting stance ever so slightly, his left leg going numb from the inactivity. "Oh hockey sticks," he cursed through a hushed whisper, a wince hidden in his exclaim as he did so. In an attempt to recuperate his limb's feeling, the boy exchanged his seated stance to one of standing. The branch creaked under his shifted weight, but otherwise allowed him to continue looming over the area.

If it weren't for the stakeout's reasoning, or for the horribly gelid weather, Noah might have relished the amazing Alaskan view. From his locality in the mountain's pine, Noah could see down the rolling hill and across the whitened glittering lake, the ice reflecting the sky's pale blue color and the emigrating clouds. Even in point blank distance the area appeared beautiful, the forestry hiding the chirping birds from the foxes and deer below.

Noah smiled. He normally was unable to enjoy the wilderness, the frigid temperatures always causing issues for him, but the necromancer attempted to remain positive. After everything that's been happening with the team and with himself personally, the boy needed positivity in his life.

It didn't last.

"What the-" the bat whispered to himself slowly, leaning forward in the slightest to obtain a better angled view. In an instant Noah's hand flew to his earpiece, his pointer finger pressing against the technology in urgency. "Come on, come on," he stammered as the piece only cackled... he was too high up to reach a signal to the others.

He slid down the tree quickly, broken pieces of bark flinging towards the snowy banks below; his hand never wavered from his head. "Come on," he continuously begged, elongating his 'on' as he did so. "Ghost King to team, can you hear me?"

In a fit of frustration, Noah cursed in a hushed manner: "Shit!"

 _Guess I have to go after Killer Frost myself,_ Noah accounted as he attempted to follow a suspicious figure deeper into the terrain.

* * *

 **Mount Justice**

 **September 7, 2018**

 **16:11**

Victoria slowly entered the base from the Zeta Tubes, her black heels resting in her left hand somewhat pathetically as she moved about. Her hands had stopped trembling by now, and her tears had dried hours before she decided to go to what she considered her second home. Once she ascended into the living room, she dropped her shoes onto the cool and hardened stone floor, before going to sit on the weathered green couch alongside Dani.

The ex-assassin paid her no mind, but turned up the television's sound to signal that she did not want to talk to the Italian. If it weren't for the fact that Victoria was beyond exhausted from her earlier activities, she might have had the energy to be offended by Dani's introverted ways. With a slight yawn she stood up again, her hands stretching way above her head as she walked towards the kitchen.

"She dies in the end," Victoria offhandedly commented in Dani's direction, "And the red-headed guy is the killer," she continued, successfully ruining the ending for the show's episode.

"Damn it!" Dani cursed angrily, a sharp glare following Victoria into the kitchen. The younger girl continued to mumble angry statements as she hastily changed the channel in order to watch somwhing else.

Victoria entered the kitchen then, a small and weak smile greeting the other room's occupants, before her face contorted into one of confusion. "What are you guys doing in here?" She nearly giggled, absorbing the disastrous and messy scene before her. "And why is there flour on the ceiling?"

Logan sighed, his face falling into his hands briefly as he mumbled a quiet expletive.

Victoria then glanced over at Oliver for an explanation, a humored smile stretched across her face as the boy practically beamed back at her. "I was helping him bake his sneeze food!" The technician quipped back, earning an extremely confused look from the archer and an even louder sigh from the Russian.

"Please don't ask," Logan pleaded from his embarrassed position, his head shaking back and forth curtly. When his gaze leveled back onto the archer, he continued speaking, "Oh, by the way, how was your interview?"

Victoria turned away from the two adult men then, her tone passive but teasing with her next phrase. "Please don't ask," she mimicked with a small frown.

Oliver wiped raw egg yolk from his face as he asked, "That bad, huh?"

The archer chewed on the inside of her lip subconsciously, not knowing that the fragile area was already bitten raw from earlier. She shrugged her shoulders once, before making a move towards the fridge in pursuit of a water bottle.

 _I just need to do something so they can't see my face,_ Victoria thought. She knew that if either boy could truly inspect her face, they would know that she was down playing her disappointment, or rather yet, trying to hide her vulnerability.

She plucked an apple from the refrigerator when she didn't immediately spot her original want, her back still facing the two. "I'll be in the gym if you need me," Victoria informed them in a low voice as she quickly left the area.

When Oliver could no longer see Victoria's retreating figure, he smirked. "Want to get back to baking?"

Logan quickly replaced his look of concern for one of contempt, but his eyes still lingered on the spot Victoria had previously been standing. After a moment, he turned to look at the technician, "Don't you mean get back to us throwing food at one another?"

* * *

 **Valdez, Alaska**

 **September 7, 2018**

 **14:53**

Noah's foot sunk deep into the snow, the length between his knee and his heel covered completely by the powdery substance. To him, it was damn near impossible to keep in pace with the villain up ahead because of the billows, and even more impossible to remain completely quiet throughout his pursuit. With each step into the slush his teeth chattered loudly and painfully, his hands rubbing against his arms to create frictionalized heat.

When he was sure that he had descended far enough down the mountain, he brought his hand back up to his ear, this time more tremulous than his previous attempt. "Ghost K-K-King to team, I have eyes on K-K-Killer F-F-Frost," Noah stuttered painstakingly, his voice hoarse and tight.

The diviner blew out oxygen from his lungs and watched as they turned blue upon impact with the air, desperation for his team filling him upon the discovery.

"Coordinates locked, we are on our way," Sam's matter-of-fact voice replied. Relief replaced desperation, confidence pushing Noah to continue his stride forward.

It wasn't long before the boy could see McKenzie's wild hair sitting atop a tree, her frizzy locks poking out between the branches and brittle leaves in an obvious way; her all white suit doing nothing to camouflage her braided coiffure. Because of this, his eyes instantly flashed about to find the others in the forestry and shrubs.

Killer Frost stopped her walk then, and Noah's labored breaths paused in his throat, his heavy heart beat crashing against his rib cage. "I can feel your body heat, it's practically sickening," she sneered annoyingly, her hands rising up to her sides.

"Go," Sam ordered as he leapt off of his branch and onto the snow banks, his action quickly being followed by both McKenzie and Angel. At the sound of his command, Killer Frost's hands started to release hues of white and crystal blue, her blasts attempting to strike the younger teens.

Angel, with an ever growing and devilish smirk on his facs, broke cover first. His hands quickly maneuvered to his hip's pack, releasing a cascade of water before whipping it towards the villain expertly. His grin only increased in size as she froze the liquid mid-air.

"Oo, big mistake," Angel taunted fearlessly.

Before the villain had any time to retort, she was struck by the projectiles, similar to a batter striking a baseball: Alyn, with her entire body in an invisible form, had taken the icicle into her hands inches away from Killer Frost, before breaking it against the side of the benefactor's face. With only seconds to spare, Alyn managed to push the villain into Sam's line of fire, before dropping to the ground quickly.

"Oo, very big mistake," Angel continued cheekily when the woman practically flew backwards into a tree.

Sam lowered his hand to his side, his body evaporating from view before reappearing directly in front of Killer Frost. With his heel, the man kicked the woman in her stomach, sending her back into the tree's awaiting frame, or rather McKenzie's.

The serpent wrapped her lengthy tail around the base of the topiary and Killer Frost, successfully pinning the woman to the forestry.

The white-haired woman cackled then, despite what the team would call her evident arrest. "You know," she said confidently, "One of you isn't feeling so warm anymore."

Not long after her claim did Noah's body drop to the snow, his eyes rolling back into his head as he fell unconscious.

"What did you do to him?!" McKenzie shrieked, her grip on the villain loosening as her concentration broke. Killer Frost took the unguarded moment to break away from the serpent, before sending a powerful blast in her direction. Despite only meaning to incapacitate one hero though, Killer Frost's attack had also struck Alyn's invisible form, sending both of the girl's deeper into the icy terrain.

Alyn grabbed for McKenzie's injured form whilst mid-air, bringing the younger girl into her body in means to break her fall. When their bodies began obeying the rules of gravity once more though, the Turkish woman grew horrified as McKenzie's head snapped back and hit the mountainous rock, crushing Alyn's hand between the two.

Sam ignored her loud scream as his hand barreled into the villain's shoulder, before he connected his elbow with her temple.

"He doesn't look so good," Angel called out towards Sam with a nearly panicked tone. Noah's semi-frozen body was eerily still, his chest not doing so much as to even rise and fall. His skin was tinted blue, and that's when Angel realized that sometime during the battle, the villain had sent a deathly blast towards the necromancer. Angel, with desperation and concern filling him, screamed out, "Are you two okay?"

Alyn had already began walking back towards the group by the time the Hispanic teen had asked, McKenzie laying in her arms. "I don't know," the Muslim woman grunted through grit teeth, her face contorted into a permanent wince.

* * *

 **Mount Justice**

 **September 7, 2018**

 **18:19**

Raja rubbed at his face in exhaustion, his eyes closed lightly as he absorbed the sunlight's rays on his face. From the mountain's rooftop he was able to look down onto the beach, the waves flowing onto the sand in soft wisps. It was peaceful to him, but more importantly it was peaceful to him _alone._

He brought his cigarette back up to his parted lips before taking in another drag; his exhale allowing smoke to escape from his mouth in transparent gray clouds. Almost in unison the smoke danced out along with a his uneasy suspise.

"Hey Raja." Victoria's sudden presence might have startled the boy if he hadn't originally heard her footsteps ascending to the rooftop balcony. In a retort he threw up his left hand in greeting, not so much as turning around to look at her.

She walked closer to the area's edge, her hands gripping onto the protective bars ahead of her tightly upon arrival. "I didn't know you smoked," she commented lamely.

The two stared off ahead onto the beach and the setting sun, the orange sky illuminating them both in colorful patterns. "I didn't know you'd care," Raja said back in a mimic as he took another drag.

Victoria bowed her head down for a second, her forehead meeting her balled fists on the bar. "Have any more cigarettes?" Her question was sudden but lacked confidence, her somewhat broken tone shocking Raja.

"These things will kill you," Raja attempted to persuade her not to. Despite his uncaring tone and the relaxed facial expression, the Indian boy doubted he could be any more perplexed, or rather concerned, over the archer's well-being. To him, her behavior was way out of the ordinary.

She stuck out her hand expectantly. "That's okay," Victoria confirmed.

Raja turned the upper half of his body towards her, his eyes making contact with her's as he flicked the cigarette ash off the landing. "You're a kid Victoria. I'm not giving you cigarettes," he said.

"Listen Raja, I don't need you to be my parent," Victoria murmured as she fixated her eyes back where they were originally, "And if memory serves me right, it's illegal for a seventeen-year-old to be in possession of cigarettes anyways."

They remained in silence after that; Victoria's eyes hard on the scenery before her, and Raja focused primarily on her words, reminding him that she was, in fact, older than him. After another drag Raja spoke, breaking the quiet, "Why do you even want one? You don't smoke."

His comment forced a frown onto her face. "I heard they help with anxiety and stuff," she rattled back.

Raja wished he could tell her that it wasn't true, that it was only a myth, but he couldn't. After all, the only reason why he was currently smoking was to ease his anxiety over Noor's worsening condition. He mused.

Finally, Raja said, "If you have anxiety, talk to somebody about it. Don't ruin your chances of out living your mental illness because you killed yourself in the process of killing it." When his statement was over he crushed the end of his stick and then threw it into the garbage can near them.

Silence returned to Victoria as he retreated back into the base without her, his words filling his presence. The archer continued to stare off at the water below, this time with her frown a little less pronounced.

* * *

"How long has she been like this?" Oliver asked the small group, his eyes fixated on McKenzie's dazed and dissaciated ones in a surprisingly calm disposition. His question was aimed at either Sam or Angel, but it was Alyn who responded.

Raja, who had been wrapping the older woman's confirmed broken hand, stopped as she moved closer to the serpent. "About forty minutes," she estimated. She brought down her uninjured hand to rest upon McKenzie's as she spoke, "She hit her head really hard."

The woman couldn't help but feel guilty, knowing that if she had only protected the smaller and younger girl just a bit better that neither of them would be in this current predicament.

Victoria took a hold of McKenzie's other hand and began tracing soothing circles on her skin, all the while scrutinizing the demigod for any source of recognization. Ever since the group had returned back to the base from their mission, the girl had shown extensive evidence of being confused.

"Does she even remember what happened?" Victoria asked aloud. She had hoped that the serpent would turn to her then and rattle off every detail of her fight, but she only remained quiet.

"Can you tell me your name and today's date?" Logan asked the young serpent, a concerned expression etched deep into his face.

The girl blinked rapidly at his interrogation, her eyebrows lowering to meet each other on the very top of her nose. With clear hesitation and uncertainty, she responded to the medic's questioning, "My name is Daniel Adder..."

Before any of the others could question the demigod's contradicting answer, Logan stood abruptly to his feet, barking out a sharp, "Everybody out," as he did so.

* * *

The ebony-haired boy shivered as he attempted to remove his uniform, his trembling hands and reddened fingers struggling to remain steady enough to remove his frozen garments. The jacket that he had worn, which had originally been thick and puffy, clung to the necromancer's torso wet and hardened, as well as his bullet proof vest and under armor.

Noah hiccuped in frustration when his attempts proved futile. With despair hidden in his purple eyes he sunk to the bathroom floor, his back leaning against the sink's under cabinet as it wracked with shivers. He could no longer contain his body's twitching.

 _If I had just been a little faster,_ Noah chastised himself, _then none of this would have happened... Mack losing her memory... Alyn's broken wrist... All my fault!_

Noah clutched at his head desperately, his fingers intertwined with his hair as his arms shielded his face from an outside view. _All my fault..._ he reiterated, his head connecting to the counter behind him. _All my fault..._ His cranium made contact with the cabinet again.

Again.

 _Again._

 ** _Again._**

Noah's eyes, despite being wrinkled with closure, allowed tears to escape in inconceivable amounts and drip off of his jawline and onto his chest and lap.

 _ **Again.**_

By the time Logan was able to inspect the necromancer's condition, a concussion had been added to a list of diagnosed injuries.

* * *

 **Next chapter will explore even more angst-riddled topics, so readers beware for the next update. I will add another warning at the top of the next addition with more specifics when it occurs, but until then this is your warning.**

 **I have questions! I know I keep forgetting to ask, but:**

 **1\. What is your character's hand writing like? Is it cursive/is it messy? What hand do they write with?**

 **2\. Does your character still attend school? If so, what is their school life like/what extra curriculars are they involved with? If not, what do they do instead? (This includes college)**

 **3\. How many languages does your character know? What's their first/preferred tongue?**

 **Let me know ASAP!**


	15. Chapter 15

**Mount Justice**

 **September 8, 2017**

 **05:15**

Alyn gathered her belongings drowsily, the allaying irritation in her hand steadily increasing the more that she moved it. Despite her sluggish movements however, she had been quick in packing her uniformed suit inside of a larger duffel bag, which she then slung over her shoulder securely. The band of the bag had been loose, allowing the actual containment part of it to slap at her hip as she exited the locker rooms.

Her footsteps reverberated out from underneath her body as she crossed, the repetition of it similar to that of a clock's hands. It easily stole the attention of the other teenagers in the room. "I'm leaving now, thanks for taking care of my hand for me," the mother said aloud to the small remainder of her teammates, more so to Raja than anyone else.

"Feel better soon," the Muslim boy wished grimly, not bothering to look up from his case file as she left the room. He rubbed at his eyes furiously, "Okay, so we don't have any leads on Killer Frost's whereabouts yet," he repeated back to the tiny group.

Noah tried to ignore the shivers that cascaded down his spine at the villain's mention. "We can always see if any of her past accomplices have information on her," Noah offered in a monotoned laced voice. "After all, criminals typically do follow patterns that they're usually unaware of. Frost could be hiding out back in her old home city," he informed the group.

Raja stared down at the file still, his eyes struggling to read the text on it from left to right, opposed to the other way around. "I don't see us having any other options here besides that. She's practically a ghost," the super-powered teen confessed, already formulating a plan internally. It was a quick strategy: enter Central City, interrogate any accomplices, and get out.

Dani's voice cut in the conversation suddenly, her eyes finally returning to the group instead of Alyn's retreating figure, "Do you think her body behaves like a ghost's?"

Despite her virtually stultified tone, her question gained the heed of those around her. Even Oliver, who had previously been playing meaningless games on his mobile phone, gazed down upon the ex-assassin in unspoken question. It was finally Raja who had voiced the uncertainty, "What do you mean?"

Dani spoke in a calm demeanor, "Her body is cold, sort of like a corpse. Is it possible that despite her being physically alive, her body is dead?"

Noah, who had finally understood what the broody hit-man was suggesting, shook his head side to side curtly. "No. I was near her earlier, and she definitely felt alive," he started, before going quiet in thought. Then, as if Edison himself had invented the light bulb over the necromancer's cranium, an idea began to formulate in his mind. "But I think I know someone who could help trace her very-much-alive body."

Raja surveyed the teens ahead of him before eventually commanding an: "Alright. Suit up."

As the group of heroes began dispersing back towards the changing stations, Raja made a grab for Noah's thick jacket. Then, with gentle hands, he pulled on it lightly in attempts to regain the necromancer's focus. Noah turned on his heels slowly, his left eyebrow cocked upwards in incertitude as he asked, "What's up?"

"Are you sure you should be going on this mission?" Raja's question was quick and sudden, his hold on the boy's jacket going slack. Even though the tattooed individual did not voice it, all he could think of was how shockingly gelid the boy's skin was. He would be lying if he said he wasn't concerned for the younger boy's well-being, especially as Noah's eyes inadvertently slunk towards his feet.

"Yeah, I'm good. I want to be there when she's being arrested," Noah revealed, his hands shoved deep within his dark jacket's pockets, "And besides, you guys need me there to help."

Raja knew that no matter what he said, Noah would demand to be on the mission. With an abnegated sigh, the Indian boy released Noah's coat and allowed for him to rush into costume.

* * *

 **49th Precinct, Fawcett City**

 **September 8, 2017**

 **07:19**

"I don't care what Raja said Alyn, I'm not letting you back on the case. Do I need to remind you that you nearly obliterated every bone in your hand?" Sam's voice was sharp and authoritative as he spoke into his phone, the device resting in the crook of his shoulder. His hands, which held their own task of guiding his fingers across his desktop's keyboard, did nothing to aid his mobile.

Alyn sighed, her breath heavy as she let out a quiet agreement with the man. "Okay fine, but I'm stopping by the cave later to at least help with McKenzie," the Turkish woman said, no room in her statement for Sam to object to.

Even though she would never admit it, Alyn was grateful that the injury had occurred; it gave the college student an excuse to not only miss out on the more dangerous missions, but also allow her to receive extra time off with her rambunctious toddler. It was obvious that Sam knew this as well, so it did not take much energy or coaxing for him to convince Alyn to take a much deserved break from the heroic activities.

It wasn't long after their agreement did the two adults find reason to end the call with the other: Sam claiming busy work loads and Alyn claiming school assignments. And when the line went dead, Sam plucked his phone off of its perch on his shoulder and flung it down upon his desk.

The barely audible thud was upon the only noises resonating throughout the police department, save for the ticking of the wall's clock and the tapping of Sam's computer. It was also no surprise to the forensic psychologist that he was among the only occupants gathered within the diminutive station, the time of crime not starting until much later in the day. Despite this, however, the man had arrived early to make up for the lost time from yesterday's mission. He found himself doing this more often than he would care to admit.

A styrofoam cup skid across his workstation suddenly then, the sound skidding like a lake's rock gliding across the water. Sam's attention shifted off of his typed up report slowly.

"You look like death," an officer remarked, his hand leaving the cup's circumference to rest upon his gray utility belt. "Long night?"

Sam took the offering and held the stark white cup up to his lips. "You have no idea," the red-haired man replied, taking a large sip of his drink after saying so.

* * *

 **Themiscyra Island**

 **September 8, 2017**

 **08:02**

The muffled sounds of waves ascending the beach's shore rung in Yessenia's ears, the crashing of it all relaxing the young girl significantly. Her shoulders, which she felt had been tense for weeks, had finally settled, and the intense anxiety that she had been pooling within her had vanished completely. Even the fierce nightmares that she had been once been experiencing nightly were gone from her sleep.

The sudden sounds of footsteps invaded Yessenia's tranquil thoughts and caused the young girl to whip her head around quickly. Her mother smiled at her in greeting then, ignoring the hyper-vigilance her once distracted child presented. When Yessenia had realized that it was only her mother that had joined her on the high balcony, she calmed once more.

"I am so glad to have seen you again mother," Yessenia said happily, a worn smile spread across her face as she spoke tenderly. "And I am so glad to have visited Themiscyra, I almost forgot how beautiful it was," the young Amazonian added to her previous statement, her gaze overlooking the white-sanded beaches below them again.

Diana followed her daughter's admiring look, a prideful expression bearing over her. "I missed you as well, but I understand that your place is no longer with the Amazons. You are incredibly special, and the man's world needs you to look out for it," the words flowed out of the Wonder Woman easily, no hesitation behind them as they left her angled lips.

Yessenia sighed through her nose, her look turning almost scared. "It's so nice here, there's no threat or worry..." her words trailed off.

"It is," the older woman agreed as she moved to stand behind Yessenia. In a loving manner Diana wrapped her toned arms around the smaller princess's midsection and pulled her in close for a one-sided hug. In an attempt to return the intimacy, Yessenia's own hands rested down upon her mother's.

Despite her previous worry, Yessenia soon found herself in a state of blissful protection, and she closed her eyes soothingly as she continued to listen intently to the remainder of the hero's words, "And it will always be your home for when you find it too overwhelming to remain in the man's world."

 _Themiscyra is my home,_ Yessenia repeated her mother's fact eternally, _but my team... they're my family, and a home is nothing without family. I need to return to my real home._

* * *

 **Mount Justice**

 **September 8, 2017**

 **10:10**

The base's silence soon grew an echo, the nothingness filling the living quarters with acute perturbation. To some, the quietness had been a relief, allowing work to be done and for concussions to properly heal, but to others it mimicked a life long prison sentence in isolation—and Victoria was on death row. She desperately yearned for the base's routine shouting to replace the inaudible stillness, but it never occurred, and it never released her from her stupefaction sentencing.

Victoria was confused, to say at the least; the name Daniel Adder crossing her mind for what seemed like the hundredth time that day. _What could that possibly mean? Why would McKenzie say her name was Daniel?_ The questions reiterated themselves over and over again, demanding to be answered; however, Victoria remained noncomplying to her own head's interrogation.

She wished she could just ask the demigod what she meant by her words, but any interaction with the serpent these days had become impossible to come by. Ever since McKenzie had muttered the out-of-place name in replacement of her own, Logan had refused to let anyone see her—even Victoria. _**Thwack.**_

In tense situations like these, the gym would undoubtedly become her second home, and the punching bag would easily become her best friend.

 ** _Thwack._** Her fist collided with the punching bag's smooth surface once more before her arm recoiled back into herself. With each strike Victoria grew more upset, more anxious, more everything, more **_thwack._**

 ** _Thwack. Thwack-_**

Victoria wanted to scream profanities, wanted a probation from the silence and her increasingly worrisome anger. _I am supposed to be watching out for McKenzie, for Yessenia, for Logan, for Noah, and for fucking everyone, and I failed. **Thwack. Thwack. Thwack.**_ The jabs were crud and uncoordinated the longer she kept at her action, but it did not stop Victoria from unleashing her anger out on the bag. _And now I can't even see McKenzie!_

Her knuckles split open then, blood seeping into the cracks of her stressed skin. **_Thwack._** Ignoring the pain her hands were suffering through, Victoria continued to strike against her target.

 _After all this time... after all the trying, McKenzie still ended up hurt. What type of hero am-_ Victoria's monologue fell short, the stinging sensation in her limbs becoming too much to endure. Finally the archer understood why the simulation hurt McKenzie more than it hurt the others: it questioned her meaning as a hero.

* * *

 **Star City**

 **September 8, 2017**

 **12:54**

Noah shivered bitterly against the cold air, his jacket providing little to no comfort against the weather. His trembling fingers, despite being shoved inside darkened gloves, still fidgeted in his jacket's pockets trying to find warmth. To him and his body, he was still in a perpetual state of ice.

Oliver barely glanced back at the young diviner before whispering a: "Here comes trouble," quickly throwing Noah out of his invasive thoughts.

The two boys stood crouched then, their heads peering over the ledge of the building's sunken in roof in order to spy upon the scenery below. Oliver, who made a move towards his pocketed weapon, nudged at Noah's side lightly—a silent 'I'm ready' leaving his mouth.

With expertise the two launched themselves over the small wall, and the wind ripped through Noah's exposed hair as they fell down towards the concrete below.

Noah was the first to strike the earth, his legs already working over time to sweep the legs out from underneath a man who was trying to enter the bar. Before the believed-to-be benefactor hit the ground though, Noah shoved his body against another man's.

Meanwhile, Oliver took opportunity of the small group's confusion, and with his right hand, reached out to hold the cranium of one man. With a loud smack of metal, he slammed the adult's head against the trash bin lining the wall near the bar's doorway.

"This is going to hurt," taunted an overweight thug as he aimed a jab towards Noah's jaw. Quickly, the necromancer ducked out of the way and spun so that he was facing his attacker's back. With a slight jump the bat wrapped an arm around the man's neck, flipping the criminal over his shoulder and unto the slab.

* * *

A shrill and blood-curdling scream ripped through the bar's atmosphere violently, the soft snap of a bone underlining the cry. "You're beginning to bore me, Frank. Tell me where I can find Killer Frost's new hideout, or I can break your other fucking wrist," Dani's voice was low but intimidating, her tone dangerous. Her hand, which tightly gripped at the man's own, forced his arm back onto the flat surface behind them.

In desperation the man stood to his feet, the stool he had been sitting in falling to the wooden floor loudly. "I told you I don't know!" He hissed aloud, pain coursing through his wrist up into his shoulder. "I don't work for her no more!"

Another yelp of agony echoed out as Dani applied more pressure to the mousy man's appendage, successfully yanking the limb out of its socket. "I won't ask again," the ex-assassin growled wildly as she ignored the whimpers of pain coming from underneath her. "Where is she?"

The man, who had previously been identified as Frank, cursed wretchedly as he stammered out a timid, "She's in the city," before quickly adding, "She's meeting someone at Star Labs tonight, but that's all I know! I swear!"

"See, now was that so hard?" Dani snarled as she released her hold on him.

Instantly the man's uninjured hand went to cradle his dislocation, hisses of anguish still escaping from his mouth. His curses were synonymous to the rest of the bar's occupants, all of which had been forced into a catatonic state; Dani's powers being the culprit to their inability to save their comrade. The super-powered girl pressed a shaking finger to her temple in dizziness, but did not stop her motivated stride towards the exit. Upon her sudden appearance in the criminal bar's alleyway, the girl came across the concerned looks of both Oliver and Noah.

"Are you okay?" Noah asked her immediately, a familiar and sympathetic layer gracing his features. If there was one thing he knew, it was the exhaustion one's powers had on a person.

Dani grumbled to herself quietly, a bland, "I'm fine," leaving her parted lips. Her fingers remained pressed onto the side of her cranium in pain though.

The alleyway that she had entered upon was quiet, the unconscious figures of several men lining the narrow space. _I am suddenly grateful that I brought them with me,_ Dani thought in a relieved manner, her head continuing to hammer and throb. She knew that if she had left the bar and had to deal with a new horde of men, especially after using her telekinetic powers to hold back a previous flock, she would have passed out.

Oliver smirked in attempts to relieve the solemn scene. "Your fight sounded badass," he complimented her, his words being matched with a playful punch to the girl's armored shoulder. Despite her exhaustion, the girl's cool glare sent shivers down even the necromancer's spine. With an awkward chuckle, Oliver switched topics, "Find out anything useful?"

"Yeah. Let's get going," Dani informed minimally. She didn't wait for any confirmation before proceeding to the group's camouflaged jet.

* * *

 **Stanford**

 **September 8, 2017**

 **14:30**

Alyn pushed the mushed-filled spoon up towards her toddler's face, the rounded end breaching close to the child's ducked lips. "Come on baby girl, you need to eat. Eat for mommy, okay?" Her words were coo-like, as well as soft and reassuring in manner. "Lütfen?" Alyn pleaded with her child, resorting back to her original tongue of Turkish.

The sick baby coughed roughly as she shook her head side to side in protest. "No," she retorted, "No!" Her words were matched with a shove, Mihrimah's chubby hands slapping the spoon onto the tiled floor beneath them.

With a worried glance towards her own mother, Alyn stood up from her previous position near the floor. "What do I do anne? She won't eat," she asked. "Should I just put the m-e-d-i-c-i-n-e in her bottle instead?"

Mihrimah stared up at Alyn wildly as the woman spelled out the longer word, her eyes growing wide; to the wise moppet, she only knew her mother to spell out a word if she was meaning to keep a secret. "Anne?" Mihrimah sought as she tugged on her mother's shirt sleeve. "Anne, aç!"

"Now you want to eat?" Alyn asked her toddler in slight disbelief, her brain stumbling to understand the tyke's messy Turkish. At the sight of her daughter's nod, Alyn grinned cheekily. "Okay baby, give me a second," Alyn forewarned as she entered the apartment's quaint kitchenette in search of a clean spoon.

 _These were the moments I've been missing out on since joining the team,_ Alyn thought happily as she plucked a spoon out of the sink, "Okay bebek, I'm coming back out!"

* * *

 **Mount Justice**

 **September 8, 2017**

 **18:32**

Victoria followed Logan inside of the infirmary in brisk strides, her legs all too willing to enter the space. The archer was excited that she was finally going to be able to talk to the serpent girl, but she was also filled with dread and nervousness.

Her thoughts had quickly been replaced as soon as she spotted McKenzie's form, the confusion of the girl's 'Daniel' claim long forgotten as a _does she even remember me?_ filled its place.

Logan scavenged the area for McKenzie's medical file as he spoke to Victoria absentmindedly, "I'm sorry to be stressing you out with this task, Tor-" The boy began, before ultimately being cut off by the Italian.

With a hand held high, Victoria interrupted him, "This isn't stressing me out. She's my friend, and I can watch her for a few hours so you can go to work."

"I know, but-" Logan once again started, his timbre low and focused as he shifted through vials near McKenzie. Finally, and with a satisfied hum, he passed Victoria both McKenzie's manila filed folder and a bottle of medication. "This is just in case she starts complaining about her head hurting again. If she vomits or starts to stutter too badly, please call me," his informative dump was quick-paced; but Victoria managed to understand what he was saying to her. "And if she starts to ramble, let her, because it might help her in remembering an event-"

Victoria placed a calm hand on top of Logan's shoulder. "Don't worry Loggie, I know. Ever since she's been like this..." Victoria paused in her statement to send a look in the serpent's direction, a sigh resonating out of her as she continued her sentence, "...I've done quite a bit of research. Seriously, she'll be in good hands with me around."

Logan's hand reached up to touch her's as he responded, his eyes looking down at her bruised and split knuckles in consternation, "I trust you, but please don't be afraid to ask for help if you need it. I'm sure Raja or even Sam would be more than willing to help you out."

Despite his reasoning, the two both knew that Victoria would try to manage McKenzie's condition on her own, the idea of asking anyone else for help nothing short of a hopeful plea from the boy. Nevertheless, Victoria nodded in agreement.

With one last scrutinizing gaze towards both Victoria's injured hands and McKenzie's unconscious figure, Logan exited the room, successfully leaving Victoria all by herself—save for McKenzie's still form. The archer hadn't even realized how familiar the scene before her was until she sat by her wounded friend, similar to how she sat by her after the Bialyan mission.

 _I am so sorry I wasn't there to help you this time around McKenzie,_ Victoria apologized quietly, her hands taking a tight grip with McKenzie's. _I know I promised you that I wouldn't let anything happen to you, but yet here you are, not even able to remember that promise._ Instead of voicing her solemn monologue to the demigod, Victoria remained quiet. She wasn't sure how she was supposed to ask the young girl for forgiveness, but she desperately wanted it to ease her contrite cogitation.

McKenzie stirred then, her eyes slowly fluttering to an open. In a quick and sudden claim, Victoria chirped a cheery, "Hey McKenzie, how are you feeling?"

The younger of the two blinked rapidly as she stared up at the archer. "Hi... Victoria, right?" McKenzie slurred, bringing her hands up to her eyes to rub out their strained but dulled aching. The archer in question nearly cried at the onslaught of unexpected recognition, a high smile spreading onto her cheeks. It was as if they were introducing themselves for the first time once more.

* * *

 _McKenzie smiled shyly, her pinkened cheeks meeting her eyes in excitement as she extended one of her arms. "Hi, I'm McKenzie," she greeted._

 _The archer glanced down at the serpent's hand momentarily, before erupting into a small smile herself; her hand angled downwards to meet the shorter girl's_ — _th_ _eir fingertips brushing past one another's briefly as they shook hands. With an equally shy voice, the older girl introduced herself as well, "And I'm Victoria. It's really nice to finally meet you."_

 _Victoria was the first to let go. With another polite smile her fingers unclenched from McKenzie's appendage, before meeting her own hip's side._

 _The two stood awkwardly for a moment then. Victoria, whether out of anxiety or anticipation, began to sway back and forth from her heels to her toes, her hands curling behind her back. "So, its just the two of us?" Victoria asked inquisitively, her 'o' extended in 'so'._

 _McKenzie nodded back feverishly, her eyes not meeting Victoria's. Unlike the Italian teen, McKenzie knew that her nail-biting was from anxiety. With her hand still brought up to her teeth, the demigod attempted to revive their conversation once again. "I believe so. Its just training after all. Although I did hear that Princess Yessenia might join us at some point," McKenzie informed the other girl._

 _It was Victoria's turn to nod awkwardly as she absorbed McKenzie's insightful information. "A princess huh? That must be exciting," the archer said._

 _"I never met her," McKenzie countered back, "but if she is an Amazon, she must be exciting."_

 _Once again Victoria nodded her head, her dark brown locks bobbing up and down as she did so._

 _Her eyes refused to focus on McKenzie, but through short and quick glances she memorized the younger girl's appearance rapidly: she was somewhat tall, standing at roughly 5'8, but her size was still small. Her shoulders had been hunched forward a bit, as if to cover her torso with her arms and her hands, which only added to the tinier stature; however, the rest of her was sharp and prominent, her eyebrows hard and shaped on a somewhat thinner face, her chin pointed down. Overall, she looked scared to the archer._

 _With her newfound knowledge Victoria relaxed a bit. She had figured that the young serpent was just as new to the hero gig as she was, and that she wouldn't embarrass herself too much in front of her. In attempts to relieve the awkward air, Victoria gained a small sense of confidence, "I think we are going to be great friends Mac, just you wait and see."_

* * *

 **Star Labs**

 **September 8, 2017**

 **18:38**

Angel snatched his mask off of his face in frustration, his nimble fingers soon finding refuge on the bridge of his low nose. His root-colored eyes closed in irritation then, annoyance starting to swirl within him. "This is leading us no where Azure. Just admit it, you were given a false lead," Angel said, his statement directed more so at the ex-assassin than anyone else. His vision cleared as his eyelids reopened, this time to scrutinize Dani's frigid form.

"Fuck off," Dani cursed flatly; her eyes never wandering from the lab's entry point.

The water-powered boy took in a deep breath at her words, his hand curling to a fist at his hip's side. Instead of reacting negatively like Noah and Oliver had been expecting, Angel remained quiet as he stared at the back of her head, his efforts in concealing his vexation noticeable.

The tense silence distressed Oliver as he stared between the two. _I thought they were friends,_ Oliver thought confusedly, _but then again, this is how Raja acts around me all the time, and I consider him a brother._

* * *

 _Oliver leaned his head against the Muslim boy's broad deltoid, the hard muscle providing little repose for the technician's growing fatigue. "You're so uncomfortable Raj, how does anyone manage to sleep on you?" Oliver groaned somewhat sarcastically, his body contorting dramatically as if to prove his own point. At his claim he stared up at the Muslim boy, a sharp and teasing grin meeting Raja's eye roll._

 _In desperation to find comfort upon his friend's toned body, Oliver curled his own into the cranny between Raja's hip bone and the lower part of his rib cage; the boy's chin tucked into his own chest as he laid on Raja's torso. It wasn't long before his eyes fluttered shut, the constant and steady beating of Raja's heart lulling him into a stage of soothing relaxation._

 _It wasn't until the vibrations chambered down and ricocheted off of Raja's bones did Oliver realize what the younger man was doing. In a giddy grin, Oliver teased, "Are you singing to me?"_

 _"More like humming," the tattooed individual corrected, his voice void of any appealing emotion. "Go to sleep, or I'm pushing you onto the floor," Raja added threateningly, his attention still focused on the news station playing from the base's television._

 _Oliver smirked again, but nevertheless rested his eyes as his grip tightened around Raja's midsection. When the Indian boy was sure that his tired compeer had fallen asleep, he allowed his own eyes to falter close: after all, it was much easier to fall asleep in a new place when you knew that you were safe and protected._

* * *

Angel sat himself down upon a spacious lab table and drew his knee in close to his chest, his arm wrapping around it lazily. "So how long do you expect us to wait here?" He asked predominantly to Dani, his free hand moving as he spoke.

"God, fuck off Angel," the girl sneered upwards, her head tilted back to stare at the ceiling as she spoke. "If you were just going to complain the entire time, you should have just kept Raja company in the jet."

For the second time that night, the prodigious lab grew a restless silence—tensions high. If Oliver thought the air's thick atmosphere before was uneasy, he believed it to be painfully unbearable now.

* * *

 **Mount Justice**

 **September 9, 2017**

 **00:41**

"So, what exactly do you remember Mack?" Victoria questioned the still-dazed serpent, her inclination to know more about her friend's well-being overwhelming her as she asked. Instead of wondering about the origins of the mysterious name 'Daniel', which had previously plagued the archer's thoughts, she instead wondered if McKenzie would ever recover from her head trauma.

The demigod, who was still laying in a medical cot, played with one of the small stress balls typically used for extracting blood. As she answered the Italian's interrogation, her tone was somewhat lazy, but her previous stutter was vacant from her speech, "I don't really remember anything. I know I was in an accident, and I know that I'm on a team of superheroes, but besides that? Nothing."

If it weren't for the fact that Victoria thought she should remain unbiased, she might have cried. This was the longest conversation she's had with the serpent in weeks, the smaller girl's silent streak vanquished.

"Do you remember who was on the team?" Victoria further pushed the demigod.

"I remember you, and I think I'm starting to remember-," McKenzie stopped her sentence short, her eyes squinting in thought before she settled on a bland dub, "-that boy. The helpful one..."

Victoria smirked lightly, "You mean Logan?"

* * *

 _Victoria entered the largest room in the base, her eyes growing almost comically wide as she examined everything within the four walls for the first time. The training facility sported a large fighting stage in the center, a baby blue light surrounding the outskirts and dashing out to the rest of the flooring. Around the elevated area stood advanced technology, each possessing their own blue and white hues._

 _Black Canary's back was facing the archer as the young girl explored deeper into the confines, resulting in a somewhat confused, "Hi Black Canary," from Victoria's lips. The blonde instructor turned on her heels to face the speaker then, her hands moving to rest onto her hips as she did so. It was at this time that Victoria recognized the forms of McKenzie, Green Arrow, and Nightwing. "-And everyone else..." The archer involved the other heroes into her greeting, her tone only becoming more bewildered by the second._

 _The serpent grinned lightly as her hand waved to the archer, confusion also evident on her face despite her attempts to be reassuring._

 _"We were just talking about you," Black Canary said, "Come join us."_

 _Victoria jumped up onto the raised platform with an overarching eyebrow, her confusion being exchanged for hesitation at the sight of an unfamiliar teenager. "Who the hell is this?" She asked, a bit more aggressively than planned. The demigod widened her eyes at Victoria's language, her head tilting to the side in expectation. Almost immediately Victoria answered her own question, "Oh, you're the Spetsnaz soldier who's supposed to be training us!"_

 _McKenzie's palm met her forehead with a silent thump._

 _"Yeah, I'm Logan Zimnakov," he introduced himself, a small trace of a Russian accent underlining his words._

 _"You weren't what I was expecting," Victoria retorted honestly, her words slow at first before quickening in pace as she added a, "No offense though!" At this point, even Victoria herself wanted to hit herself._

 _Instead of being angry like she thought he might have been though, he smiled at her. "That's the point."_

* * *

 **Once again I cut a chapter into two parts (because without cutting it in two, the update would have been around 12k words and would have been difficult to read); however, because of this, that means that the next update is already completed. Please remember that if your character was not focused on in this chapter, they will be in an upcoming one.**

 **Questions:**

 **1\. How did your character get their power(s)? What is their fighting style like (if you want, you can compare them to another superhero, but please be detailed)?**

 **2\. Who would your character open up to the most? Who would they avoid?**

 **3\. Any team ups you want to see happen? Who would your character fight best with? Worst?**

 **4\. What's your character's sleep like?**

 **5\. Any extra personality details you want me to know about?**


	16. Chapter 16

**Trigger Warnings: mentions of self-harm and rape in first scene and memory; if you wish to skip this, follow the bold until you reach Star Labs**

* * *

 **Mount Justice**

 **September 9, 2017**

 **18:02**

"I will be home soon mama, I promise. I'm just checking up on an injured friend of mine really quickly," Alyn pledged swiftly, her voice hushed as she talked into her cell phone. Even though the potential of one of her teammates overhearing her conversation at this hour was slim, her octave only dropped quieter as she asked about Mihrimah's health status.

 _"She is sleeping now, which is good, and her fever went down as well,"_ her mother informed her tiredly, her accent thick and slurred from exhaustion. Instantly, Alyn sighed in relief at the news, her free hand reaching up to hover over her heart.

The Turkish woman spoke normally after that, her voice no longer timid, "Thank you mama for watching her. Get some rest now, okay? You deserve it."

Alyn hung up her device then, her worry replaced with ease. Her mother always managed to make her feel better, even if something horrid had occurred.

 _Because it did occur before,_ Alyn accidentally reminded herself, the horrible memories instantly cascading into her mind at incredible speeds. Despite not speaking her thoughts, the woman's hand rushed to cover her mouth like a child swearing in front of their parents. It was the uncontrollable flash of pain that steered over her body physically that broke her from her stupor, her thoughts continuing hazardly, _and all I had was my mother..._

Her delicate fingers, although bruised and swollen from her hand injury she obtained only hours earlier, traced the scarring she knew she had on her stomach. That had been the better of the cicatrixes, the ones she was least ashamed of.

 _There is a lot to be ashamed of, after all,_ Alyn mentally judged herself as she stared down at her body hauntedly, _and I don't have anybody to blame for it besides myself_. Her hatred and embarrassment only grew as she seemingly stared through her pants and at her bare thighs.

* * *

 _"When was the last time you felt the need to hurt yourself, Miss Sanem?" The concerned therapist asked Alyn cautiously as her gaze dropped down towards Alyn's jean-clad thighs._

 _Alyn chewed on her fingernail nervously as her dominate leg bounced up and down rapidly; her foot's quick bobbing creating a muffled scuffling sound. Her words were hesitant, "I haven't cut myself in weeks. The thoughts are always there though. I just- I don't know- I can't," the Muslim woman paused her retort as tears pooled upon the edges of her water line. "I feel disgusting. I can't stop feeling like- like he's still on me."_

 _Her words were defeated, the shake in her limbs gone. Instead of the anxious tapping, Alyn resorted to rubbing her right thigh tenderly._

 _At the moment the slivered cuts were only fading scars, but it did not stop the phantom feeling she seemed to always be experiencing whenever her emotions fell below spectacular. Even when she wasn't acting upon her urges herself, her brain mimicked it for her_ —her subconscious cruel to the shaken up sixteen-year-old as well _._

 _"I am so proud of you," the older woman said, "And I will always be remorseful about what happened to you."_

 _Alyn sunk lower in her seat then, her hands gripping tightly against her biceps. Her eyes closed harshly as her tears began sliding down her face._ _Even though the woman's touch on her elbow was gentle, Alyn still flinched._

* * *

Victoria smiled lightly once more that night as McKenzie chortled loudly; the serpent's airy laugh filling the usually dim atmosphere of the medical bay with upmost contentedness. Her eyes, which for weeks had hid behind an apprehensive and petrified gloss, were clear and bright now as she joked with the Italian girl.

"-and for revenge, Yessenia bought two liters of glitter from Amazon!" The demigod revealed, her words almost incoherent because of how extreme her fit of laughter was. "And then she got mad that Amazons don't receive a special discount! Can you believe that?! She said 'I am an Amazon, I should get a discount from Amazon!'"

The archer chuckled under her breath at the younger girl's remark, her mouth hidden behind her propped up arm. Despite McKenzie's elated well-being, Victoria struggled to pay attention to her stories, her focus staying primarily on the bandage wrapped around the girl's cranium.

Victoria could not help but to survey the serpent almost nonstop for any additional signs of distress; the deity's quick recovery flabbergasting her completely. However, she was grateful that the previously thought severe head injury was barely a mild one. Finally, it seemed as if McKenzie was catching a break from the devastating turmoil she had been experiencing, and Victoria could not be happier for her friend.

"And what did Yessenia do next?" Victoria asked in attempts to further engage the younger girl in conversation. For a moment the serpent was quiet, a mixed facial expression of confusion and frustration spreading across her sharpened features. "Did she end up using the glitter?" The Italian continued, hoping to cause McKenzie to remember what had occurred next.

The two girls sat in eerie silence once more, the former waiting in suspense for her injured friend's retort. When it did not come though, Victoria simply shrugged it off; she did not want to overwhelm McKenzie with the seemingly never-ending events that had happened since the formation of the team. Even though the four (that being McKenzie, Yessenia, Logan, and herself) had only been together for a short amount of time, plenty of superfluous proceedings had happened since their start, and she did not expect McKenzie to remember them all in her current state of mind.

Victoria chewed on her lower lip as she waited, her leg bouncing up and down with anxiety the longer it took McKenzie to speak to her.

She was the one who broke the air's stillness.

"Why did you say your name was Daniel, McKenzie?"

Her question was rushed and sloppy, her eyes not quite meeting McKenzie's in fear that the serpent wasn't prepared for the serious inclination. It was an incredible surprise to her however when McKenzie exclaimed a chatty 'oh!', followed behind by a nonchalant, "That was my name before I came out as transgender. You didn't know?"

Victoria shook her head in response, a quiet "No," following suit respectively. Despite the fact that Victoria had reassuringly taken McKenzie's hand inside of her own bruised one just moments after the claim, McKenzie's cheerful attitude still turned grim as a look of horror crossed over her.

"Oh my god," the serpent stuttered in fear, "You didn't know I was trans, you must hate me," McKenzie assumed in a fit of panic. She slipped her hand out from Victoria's grip, before bringing it up to the roots of her frizzy locks. She burrowed her fingers deep into her hair as she rapidly shook her head from side to side. "You must think I'm a total freak now, I am-"

"Mac," Victoria interrupted the emotionally distraught girl. Before McKenzie could spiral herself further into a panic attack, Victoria chuckled out, "You turn into a fucking snake and your father is a Greek God. Trust me when I say that you being a girl is the least freakish aspect of your life."

McKenzie looked up from her feet. "Really?" She stuttered out in shock. "You don't hate me?"

"Of course I don't hate you, you're one of my best friends McKenzie. I love you regardless of what you identify as or who you love," Victoria comforted, a sincere smile plastered across her cheeks as she brought the demigod in for a tight hug. "Don't ever feel like you have to hide who you are away from me, or even the team. We care about you so much."

* * *

 **Star Labs**

 **September 8, 2017**

 **19:00**

Dani, with a seemingly stultified countenance, encircled her arm around the front of the oncoming man's neck, her armored bicep grazing past his semi-parted lips and laying it flat across his facial area. Her hand soon found comfort on the rear of his cranium and, with the strength that she thought would make even Superman himself proud, she dropped him down towards the tiled ground.

"I think we got them all," Angel panted out lightly as he looked around at his teammates, a sheen of sweat pooled around his temples from his own previous fight. He surveyed the stark bright room momentarily for any signs of continued attack then but found nothing of worth.

"Well, even if Killer Frost doesn't show up, we still got to bust some heads open," Oliver joked wickedly; his smile wide.

Dani's eyebrows met in anger, evidence of mild annoyance seeping into her from her pores. "That's not the fucking point. We came for Frost, and we are leaving here with her," the ex-assassin promised coldly. It was not even a slight surprise to the ill-formed group that Dani's words were quite often venomous, especially when it came to the aspect of the criminal underworld.

 _Or rather crime in Star Labs specifically,_ the ebony haired girl thought bitterly, the threat of a memory surging throughout her head.

* * *

 _"Where did you even find a girl like that?"_

 _From the outskirts of the interrogation room, the few but primary members of the Justice League had gathered; the heroes' focus planted on the intimidating stature of the assassin, or rather thief, who sat quietly on the other side of the glass. Her right elbow rested lazily on the cheap table ahead of her, her head resting in her propped open hand, almost as if she were bored._

 _She began to tap her fingers in a rhythmic fashion._

 _"We picked her up at Star Labs. She had set off a silent alarm when she was trying to steal Batrachotoxin," the Dark Knight answered gravely as he stared on ahead. For a moment it was as if she were looking directly at the hero himself, her fingers still tapping. "We matched her prints to a Dani Mayes."_

 _"You don't mean-?"_

 _The Blue Scout's surprised gaze met Batman's cool one, his question already answered without actual confirming words. To think that majority of the sinister criminal gangland bent to the will of a sixteen-year-old baffled even the League; however, they were no fools to Vandal Savage's feared killer._

 _Wonder Woman's glare deepened in thought, her words curious, "And what shall we do with her? She is only but a child."_

 _"A child with a high body count," Superman reminded her earnestly. In truth though, he was also at a loss for what to do with the minor. Both turned to Batman expectantly._

* * *

"Its okay if she doesn't show up tonight guys," Noah said as he feigned his own positivity, his smile forced and shallow. He ignored the twitching and shivering of his hands as he continued his speech, his only true concern being to keep the peace between the young teenagers, "We still managed to arrest some thieves."

His words did little, if not nothing, to assuage the retired benefactor's fury. Her glare, which Oliver had previously been the receiver of, glided over to meet the necromancer's violet look. Her hand curled into a tight fist.

Angel, who had sensed his friend's irritation almost instantly, stepped in between the two, his arms spread out to keep them apart. With a maturity that was new to the Mexican boy, he set up a compromise for his opposing teammates. "Amigos," he started, his accent evident with only the short word, "Let's not get into a fight. We'll stay for another hour, but after that, we can head back to the base. Okay?" His focus constantly shifted from Dani to Noah in expectation.

The question was directed more towards the disgruntled teen than anybody else, but Dani turned away from the others angrily, her only response being the silence that followed suit. Much to the displeasure of both the water-powered teen and the technician, Noah offered nothing additional to what Dani had provided either.

* * *

 **Unknown Location**

 **September 9, 2017**

 **00:02**

Raja was a quick learner and a heedful one at that. It had not taken him long to memorize the actions of each and every one of his teammates during flights to and from the secret base they all had shared.

Dani was a sleeper. She would often disrobe in front of the others, her only sense of modesty being the undergarments that she quite often would wear, before choosing a comfortable and desolate area upon the jet to nap upon. Her cycles of sleep were typically short-lived, but that did not seem to bother her in the slightest. To her, even a five-minute cat-nap proved helpful, and no one ever seemed to stop her from her attempts.

And Angel, without fail or exception of any kind, would always listen to music during the trips. For the short spurts of time, he was uncommonly quiet, not bothering anybody else as he would join his favorite artists in lip synced duos. His headphones were perhaps the most essential part of his costume.

 _Of course, I didn't need extra time to learn about Oliver's behavior,_ Raja thought cheekily as he glanced towards his left side. For the most part, the bomb technician would keep the Muslim boy company in whatever it is that he would be doing, whether that be piloting the ship or quietly praying. If he were to get bored, as he usually would, Oliver would attempt to start playful conversations with someone else. Oliver's positivity and kindness motivated his actions during trips.

Even Noah had become predictable: he was exclusively a texter. Instead of engaging with others like Oliver might or catching up on much-needed sleep, Noah preferred to text his girlfriend, sheepish blushes and small smiles setting the mood for whatever mission the team would embark upon. It was incredibly sweet, and Raja found it hard to remain stoic as the necromancer would grin dorkily.

This time around, however, Noah's phone was absent from his trembling hands, which sat inside of his trench coat's long pockets along with the hand warmers that Raja had gifted him with from the first aid kit.

That was something else Raja had learned about the younger male. He absolutely loathed admitting he was anything less than perfect, even if it was obvious. In this case, it was as apparent, if not more, as the sky was blue.

"There are blankets above your seat," Raja informed the dark-haired boy suddenly. "Give one to Dani, she looks cold," he had added the second part not because he had believed it to be true, but because he knew that Noah would only accept one if he thought it wasn't for his lone benefit. He was stupidly unselfish in that sense.

 _Many of them are stupidly unselfish,_ Raja internalized as he watched the short boy struggle to reach overhead.

* * *

 **Mount Justice**

 **September 9, 2017**

 **00:14**

"Alyn! You're here!" McKenzie chirped excitedly as she spotted the older teen. "And you brought Sam with you!"

Victoria's shoulders tensed at the serpent's words, worry filling her at the sound of the red-haired man's name. For a moment she was fearful that Logan had not trusted her to watch over the girl by her lonesome, but the thought quickly subsided: if anything, he would have sent Raja instead to check up on the girls. The thought of Raja though made the girl uneasy however, the memories of the cigarette debacle still vivid in her mind.

Alyn smiled down at McKenzie. "You're doing much better, I see," she noted, "I'm really glad you remembered me, Macky."

"Of course I remember you," the snake said sheepishly, "after all, you were the one that saved me. You're kind of my hero."

Victoria zoned out of the two's conversation as her focus shifted onto Sam suspiciously. Since the two's arrival, he had been incredibly quiet, not so much as even greeting her or McKenzie. To the archer, it was almost as if he were here to study and observe the injured girl's actions, instead of caring for her as he should have.

 _Because he probably doesn't care,_ Victoria told herself. It was not often that she grew weary of individuals, but Sam had been the exception for her increasingly persistent paranoia. _He is only here to diagnose us after the simulation and Batman doesn't think we will notice it. He can't seriously think we are all this dumb, can he?_ The thought of questioning the resident necromancer over Sam's presence crossed her mind then. If anyone would know what goes on in the Dark Knight's brain it would be Noah.

Victoria's glare continued to develop with each passing second and thought. It wasn't until Sam turned to her sharply that she brought contact.

"What does she remember?" Sam asked the archer privately, his tone suggestive towards a particular event.

The archer craned her neck up slightly to meet his dull blue eyes. She wasn't sure what she was searching for in his expression, but whatever it was, she was struggling to find it. "If you're asking me if she remembers what happened in the training exercise, the answer is no. Her memories are still forming, so they aren't that cohesive yet," Victoria said, her arms crossed over her chest.

Sam hummed in response, his eyes slowly moving to scrutinize McKenzie's shape once more.

 _I wish I knew what he was thinking,_ Victoria seethed angrily, almost offended by his nonchalant reply. _That way I could tell if he deserves me beating the ever living shit out of him._

Her violent thoughts were interrupted by Alyn's soft speech, "You're doing a great job with McKenzie. Logan couldn't have left her in more capable hands," the Turkish woman complimented her earnestly. Despite the fact that her words were directed at the archer however, Alyn's gaze remained upon McKenzie.

"It appears that way," Sam agreed lowly. For the first time that night, Sam's attention slid onto the archer.

* * *

 **Loading Dock**

 **September 9, 2017**

 **00:15**

"You can wake her up, you know. You don't need to carry her," Angel advised the Indian boy hypercautiously, his expression a concoction of astonishment and confusion as he watched Raja exit the jet with a resting Dani slumped into his arms. The cause of his astonishment though was even unknown to the Hispanic teen himself, as he wasn't quite sure which was more jarring: Raja's paternal side or Dani allowing herself to be carried away without obvious bloodshed.

With a large grin Oliver followed after his best friend, an amused mien growing with every protest Angel uttered. "Aw, leave the scary people alone. And hey, at least you didn't have to wake her up," the technician forewarned Angel jokingly, his elbow pestering into his teammate's ribs.

Angel opened his mouth to retort but stopped himself short. With a relieved tone, Angel muttered, "Yeah, you're right. When she gets that tired...well, let's just say Raja saved me from certain death."

"I can believe that," Oliver murmured back as he stared at the girl. "I'm surprised that Noah isn't also asleep in Raja's arms right now though, he looks beyond exhausted," at the mention of the necromancer's name, the two boys turned their heads slowly to look behind them. Walking at a distance, and with his phone rooted deep into his hands, the diviner yawned.

Suddenly, and without much warning, Noah's sleepiness retired. "Oh, she's here!" He exclaimed as he finally looked up from the small device.

"Who's here?" Angel interrogated the necromancer; however, Noah completely ignored him as he dashed out in front of the group of heroes. Sarcasm found itself implanted in Angel's voice as he spoke after Noah's fleeing figure, "Yeah, okay, cool. Thanks for answering buddy! We appreciate it!"

Despite Angel's claim though, he continued his stride, this time with more determination to reach whatever destination Noah was currently at without them. With Oliver in tow, and Raja and his cargo at the end, Angel led the way into the living quarters of the base; however, it was only when the quartet entered the official entryway that they spotted the anomaly in the room.

She was of a darker complexion, a warm-toned hue giving her a brighter appearance to that of an Indian tan, and her ebony hair also contained elements of the same scorching heat. Her face, although kind and good-willed, contained a thick scar which separated one of her eyebrows, which lay atop her midnight blue eyes. Everything about the tall teen stood out in comparison to Noah's deathly appearance.

Upon spotting his teammates, Noah called them over to introduce them to the newer girl. With all of them surrounding the couple, including a now awake Dani, Noah presented the girl to them, "This is my girlfriend Charlotte Rein. She's going to help us track down Killer Frost."

Charlotte extended her hand towards Oliver first, a bright smile matching the technician's own, "It's nice to finally meet-"

She was interrupted by a loud yelling coming from the living room, which sent the small group sprinting into its direction. Their arrival went mostly unnoticed, the others too preoccupied with their screaming and bickering to take the newcomers into account. It did not take long before they pieced together the story.

"Samuel Jackson Foster, you are unbelievable!" Alyn's stern and disappointed tone reverberated around the small space.

"I had to do what _needed_ to be done!" Sam snapped wildly, his tone uncharacteristically livid as he slammed his hands down on the wooden surface ahead of him. His hands rested there momentarily, before finally rising towards his face in means of cover. In a much quieter voice, he added, "Can you imagine how traumatizing the repercussions would have been if we had lied to her about the simulation?"

Despite not being fully aware of the circumstances, Noah added into the conversation his own beliefs. "She was still recovering Sam," Noah reasoned, "She couldn't even remember her name the last time you saw her."

Victoria's teeth grit together painfully at the mention, her jaw clenched in fury. Her friend, _her sister,_ had been happy for the first time in weeks, the burden of her feared failures not plaguing her mind, but Sam had ruined it. He ruined it, and he didn't even care that he did.

Her statement was sudden and sharp, "You didn't have the right. You weren't there."

"Who was going to tell her then?" Sam interrogated the girl harshly, his eyes downcast upon her in near accusation. "Because we both know you wouldn't have done it."

"Damn right I wouldn't have done it!" Victoria yelled out as she leaped from her seat on the couch. In order to construct her own emphasis, she marched towards the taller man, one hand clenched together tightly in a fist by her side as the other outstretched to prod Sam on his chest. "McKenzie was so ashamed of herself that she couldn't fucking look at us, Sam! I was so scared that she was going to end up getting herself killed just to prove a god damned point that she wouldn't allow her simulation to become her reality! And you, a fucking nomad to the team, decided that you were best fit to remind her she was the reason one of her best friends died!"

It was at this point that the archer had realized that she had shoved the psychologist into the opposing wall, his back pressed against the boundary dolorously. Hesitantly, she took a moment to gather herself and her thoughts, her hand releasing its grasp on the man. The others watched on, not wanting to stand between a furious Victoria.

"If you were there, you wouldn't have told her either," she finished solemnly in a hiss. She then pushed him away from her lightly, before spinning on her heels to walk back towards the couch. She was stopped mid-stride however by Sam's next statement:

"I don't have to explain myself to a teenager, Victoria. I'm sorry if that hurts your feelings, but I don't care-"

He barely had time to finish his sentence before Victoria had struck him, her fist making clean contact with his jawline. He sputtered out in shock as Victoria quipped her vicious retort, "Wrong response, asshole."

Almost instantly everyone else stood to their feet, loud shouts of concern filling the previously eerie space in between the fits of punches.

* * *

"I'm back from Themiscyra!" Yessenia called out into the base loudly, a victorious smile spread across her face as the bright lights from the Zeta Tube dissolved into nothingness. "And I brought back presents!"

Her arrival went unnoticed though as the rampant screaming and yelling continued in front of her, the large team all huddled close to one another in a giant fight. Sam, with his arms up to protect his face, lay under Victoria, the latter of the two being lifted off of the ground by Raja as she pointed a sharpened arrow at the red-haired man. The Muslim teen had also been cursing in a non-English dialect, his body jerking backward and forwards as he balanced Oliver on his back, who also attempted to snatch Victoria's weapon.

"Why would you remind her of that!?" Victoria snapped once again as her arms flailed about, an angry expression seething venom towards the forensic psychologist.

Yessenia stared at the group with a confused face, before dropping her bags onto the floor loudly. "Alright," the Amazonian bellowed out as she rolled the sleeves to her sweater up to her elbows, "Why am I about to fight Sam?"

Raja grunted, "You aren't fighting Sam. No one is fighting Sam anymore!" His statement was sharp, and his glare was chilling as it landed upon Victoria's still-angered form. "So no more hitting him, even if he deserves it," Raja's disciplined.

His parent-like mentality confused the archer slightly, but she eventually succumbed to his words and handed him her crossbow's arrow. Even Oliver, who had grown notorious for his childish antics, slowly descended off from the Muslim boy's back.

With one last final glare towards the small group, Raja turned back towards the Amazonian princess. "Welcome back, how was your trip?" He asked her, almost as if she hadn't walked in on a potential murder.

The Amazon responded slowly, her expression still resembling one of confusion as she looked around the group once more. "It was glorious, thank you," Yessenia retorted with poise, her head held high to broadcast her new headpiece to the others. "What happened here though? And who is this?"

All eyes fell onto Charlotte then, and she waved her hand awkwardly in greeting, "Hey, I'm Charlotte, Noah's future wife."

The chilling feeling in the atmosphere lingered for a second longer before Yessenia chuckled. This break, although a bit inappropriate due to the circumstances, lifted the intensity. "Oh Tiny, that's adorable," The Amazon quipped with another giggle, delighted by the embarrassed heat that flushed across the diviner's face.

* * *

 **As always if anybody ever needs to talk (whether that be because of the trigger warnings or just in general) my inbox is always open. If you'd prefer a more anonymous exchange, I would recommend 7cupsoftea (although you would not be talking to me).**

 **I am also sorry if your character was not in this chapter as much as others, as they will predominantly be the focus in upcoming chapters.**

 **I also have questions, although these aren't as important as last chapter's (if you have not answered them already, now would be a great time to):**

 **1\. Does your OC like watching horror movies? If so, what movie scares them? If not, what do they like to watch?**

 **2\. Does your OC have social media? If so, what is it, what do they post, and are they popular?**

 **3\. Does your OC prefer hot weather or cold weather?**


	17. Chapter 17

**Trigger Warnings: torture, suicidal thoughts and perceivable actions, and gore. If you wish to avoid scenes that involve such topics, they will be marked with an asterisk (*). Read at your own risk. As always, my inbox is always open for anybody that may wish to talk.**

* * *

 *** Blackgate Prison**

 **September 10, 2017**

 **11:08**

Oliver frowned dubiously at his father's inquisitive question, the man's words sad and regretful as he asked his son, "How is your mom doing?"

If it hadn't been for his fraction of a second frown, or even the slight twitch in Oliver's lower lip, his father might have believed the technician's short retort. Oliver had always been a graceful liar after all, especially when it pertained to his own wellbeing or even family-oriented situations, and his mother's mental disorder was perhaps the largest " _family-orientated"_ problem he had. Despite this though, the younger man smiled and replied with a cheeky, "She's doing better."

"Oliver," Deadshot's timbre was deep and urgent as he spoke, his eyes hard on the teen's outline. Oliver's grip had tightened around the length of the old-fashioned telephone in response, his scarred knuckles baring an abrasive white as he did so. His next question was just as heart-stopping as his first, "Has she stopped taking her medication again?"

Once again, Oliver's smile faltered, and his usually vibrant expression dulled. He always hated lying to his dad, but he hated the guilt he would always see in the marksman's eyes after he would tell the truth more.

The pressure surrounding the pad's of his fingertips gained the attention of the world's famous assassin then, much to the displeasure of the young teen. His father was probably the only person who knew Oliver well enough to determine when he was lying—and in this case, Oliver might as well rename himself Pinocchio's foretelling nose.

"I can convince her to take her meds, she isn't a problem," Oliver's small grin returned, but his eyes still radiated his true opinion: defeat.

* * *

 _"Mom?" the technician called out into the darkness cautiously, his eyes squinted in order to find his mother's body shape among the neverending abyss._

 _The lights in her small bedroom had been turned off for days, and even the curtains that were usually forced open had been drawn shut to keep out the sun's protruding rays. When Oliver's gaze had finally settled onto the still figure of his mother's frame laying in bed, he sighed in relief. Despite the fact that the woman was clearly struggling through one of her depressive cycles, the boy could not help but be calmed that she was not currently manic._

 _He would never tell either of his parents, but during her more manic episodes, the woman was prone to excessive violence. Even at the unfortunate thought, Oliver subconsciously brought his fingers up towards his crooked nose, the memory of its happening flashing in his mind. He would never forget about her bone-chilling rage or all the blood that stained his face that night._

 _"Mom," Oliver repeated more confident this time around, his question soft, "When was the last time you ate?" The technician's legs bent at the knee in attempts to lower himself to her level, his hand slowly inching towards the small of her back._

 _She did not respond._

 _"Mom, please," Oliver begged, his voice turning watery with unshed tears. He refused to cry however, knowing that he was the only one with the ability to keep positive in occurrences such as this. He was always the only one positive. "Mom, I really need you to talk to me. I have to know if I need to call your doctor. Please," throughout his pleading, his positivity wavered toward defeatism, and his hand left his mother's back. This was the second time in three months she had retreated into the comfort of her own room, all the while abandoning her duties of raising her child._

 _She still did not respond though, even as her only son begun to sob by her side. The thought of her worsening condition struck fear through him, making positivity seem like an impossible reach._

* * *

Just like in his memory, Oliver's hand reached up towards his face, his pointer and middle finger pressing up against the slight scar tissue covering the bridge of his nose. Despite the fact that the scar was thinning and white, it stood out to Oliver brighter than any star ever could—it meant more to him than any star ever could. None of his other lacerations could measure up to the one brought to him by his mother, mostly because it was the emotional pain that had traumatized him.

The teen sighed as he then placed his hand upon the clear divider ahead of him, his eyes becoming glossy with unshed tears. "Its been hard dad, but its okay. I'm remaining positive," Oliver whispered, his lips barely parting to speak. He feared that if he did, he would never stop talking about his mother and her deteriorating health.

 _I have to remain positive. I'm the only one who can remain positive. After all, I'm not the one in federal prison or the one suffering through a bipolar disorder..._ and with a faint smile, Oliver watched as his dad was forced back in confinement. _You have to remain positive Lawton...twenty-five more years until dad is up for probation._

Despite the forced positivity that circulated through the boy's head, he could not help it when his tears fell onto his cheeks in rapid dashes. It was going to be another twenty-five agonizing years, and Oliver knew that his mother would not make it that long.

* * *

 **Mount Justice**

 **September 10, 2017**

 **12:14**

"Please let me in McKenzie," Victoria pleaded with the backside of the serpent girl's bedroom door, her voice strained and wavering as she spoke out to the younger girl. The archer's shoulder pressed into the thick barrier suddenly, before her spine leveled out to rest against the door flatly. With a quivering sigh, Victoria descended towards the tiled floor, her eyes tightly closed. "We can talk about this," she added solemnly. Victoria waited a hesitant moment for any sign of McKenzie, before eventually drawing her knees into her chest with a deep-rooted sigh.

Yessenia stared down at her best friend sorrowfully. _Leave it to Tori to put the weight of the world on her shoulders,_ she internalized. The Amazonian felt incredibly guilty, but she wasn't sure what the main cause of the emotion was. She was torn between either feeling worse for McKenzie's onslaught of shock or for Victoria's hammering culpability for it. _After all, it was my death in her simulation that caused all of this._

For another thirty seconds, Yessenia stood, her ears trained to listen in on whatever was happening inside the demigod's room; however, besides the occasional hiccup, the only other sounds escaping out into the hallway, at least to the Amazon, was McKenzie's saddened heartbeat. It caused her own chest to tighten, which fueled her next action.

The younger princess sat down next to her best friend then, her body brushing up against Victoria's side reassuringly. "She will make it through this. After all, she did manage to get better after the actual simulation itself," Yessenia reasoned as she wrapped her arm around the archer's waist, her head falling into the crook of the other girl's neck. She had hoped that McKenzie had heard her too.

 _Just when Mac was getting over this too. This sucks for everyone,_ Yessenia thought grimly. She was extremely grateful that Victoria was unable to hear the start of McKenzie's sobbing then, the quiet sniffles barely discernable even to her.

"You didn't see how happy she was though Tori," Victoria whispered, "For the first time in weeks she was actually smiling and laughing. I haven't seen her that happy in-"

"-forever?" Yessenia cut her off sadly, her head pivoting to look up at the archer through her eyelashes.

With another long sigh, Victoria nodded in agreement. She had always known McKenzie to be disinclined and trepidatious, even when she did present herself as cheerful to the others. For the first time since their original meeting, McKenzie had been genuinely happy and outgoing.

 _Dammit, she deserves to be genuinely happy!_ The demigod's mental shift only intensified Victoria's anger at Sam, and the urge to pummel him into the ground returned for the millionth time that night. _If I hadn't been dragged off of his body, what would I have done to Sam? Would I have stopped hitting him on my own?_

Yessenia watched the Italian's eyes gloss over with unshed tears, both from frustration and from desperation.

"It'll be okay Vicky. You don't have to be alone. I'll wait here with you until McKenzie is ready to open up," Yessenia's words were kind as her grip tightened ever so slightly on Victoria's hip, "We'll be here together." The older girl nodded slowly at Yessenia's statement, her hair falling over her face as she did so.

The grip only grew tighter though as a small and broken hiccup escaped from the inside of McKenzie's room, this time audible enough that Victoria could make it out herself.

* * *

Sam remained silent as Raja applied pressure to his bloodied forehead, the cotton pad situated on the wound nearly drenched in blood. With steady and gloved hands, Raja removed the napkin, before quickly replacing it with another in order to staunch the area once more.

The two sat in utter reticence as Raja's attention transferred from Sam's injuries to the first aid kit resting by his side repeatedly, neither wanting to bring up the McKenzie, or rather Victoria, debacle. With a monotoned voice, the forensic psychologist broke the silence, a tranquil, "Thank you for helping me," escaping his bruised, downturned lips.

"Don't mention it," Raja retorted quickly, his eyes resting to observe Sam's face once more. For the most part, Raja was content with his handiwork, his brief stitching on the older man's face straight and even; however, the tattooed individual was worrisome over the ginger's concussion test—Sam had passed, and Raja knew that he should not have.

With a small glare, which was surprisingly not directed at the cave's current enemy, Raja turned away from the older man in pursuit of the disposal bin. The abundant amount of bloody tissues and used materials were then placed inside of a plastic bag, before eventually being tossed inside of the larger garbage can. The only sound that behooved the men after the softened drop was that of their breathing, the silence from earlier returning with an incredibly angry vengeance.

"Do you need an ice pack or some painkillers?" Raja asked Sam kindly, his eyes studying Sam's gravely face.

The doctor glanced up from his hands then, the discolored bulge on his left cheekbone appearing prominent as he spoke, "No thank you."

 _Always polite,_ Raja noted, a nod following his nonverbal thought. It wasn't until the boy began disregarding the dirty gloves that Sam continued to speak to him, this time far quieter than the last.

"Raja...," when the Indian man's attention had been regained, Sam took a steady breath and continued what Raja was sure of to be a lengthy explanation. "I told McKenzie about what had happened to help her, not to hurt her," his voice was calm, but Raja could tell it was laced with desperation. His words were small, and they lacked the intelligence they normally contained, which caused Raja to worry about Sam's current condition.

Raja could tell that Sam needed him, or rather anybody really, to understand why he did what he did. It was unfortunate though, because Raja had agreed with the decision that the forensic psychologist had made. No one else seemed to, but he did.

The ginger's head fell again so that he could stare back at his hands, his fingers rhythmically tapping away at his nearly colorless skin. Raja huffed out a breath he previously did not know he had been holding, his face turning away from his activity. "No I get that part," there was a pause of speech as Sam's head rose, "What I don't understand though is why you were mean to Victoria about it."

Raja did not want to admit it, but he had grown a soft spot for the team's resident archer. He felt as if he needed to protect her, especially since he knew she would not protect herself, despite being more than capable.

Sam frowned slightly, before sliding off the seat he had been sitting upon in favor of standing. "Everyone is different, Mr. Saif, including Victoria. Her anger has only been growing, and if I had been kind to her when I explained my reasoning, she only would have attacked the next person who frustrated her. I feared that the person might have been McKenzie—"

"She would never hurt—" Raja interrupted Sam's claim in protest, his eyebrows furrowing as did his gaze.

The doctor held up his right hand in order to demonstrate his own face as an example, "You still don't think she would ever hurt one of you?" His tone was not accusing, but he certainly didn't pardon the Italian for her heinous actions. "You know Raja, one day the punching bag won't be Victoria's outlet anymore. Be wary," and with that said the man sauntered off in the direction of the exit, the echoes of his footsteps muddled.

Raja's eyes lingered where Sam's body had only recently left and sighed deeply.

 _Maybe Sam is right. Could Victoria be a liability to the team?_ His thoughts ran wild as he recalled all of her actions of late, such as the fact that she had been shot, and spent days on end in the infirmary after countless missions, as well as forced to play leader for an obviously damaged team. And then there was the Sam situation. _Victoria really needs to talk to somebody. Obviously, it can't be Sam at the moment, and I'm-_ his thoughts paused as he collected his own emotions, _-I am not emotionally preferable for someone who needs help._

* * *

Alyn, with a sullen expression spread across her elegant features, played with the cream bandaging encompassing her wounded hand. She had learned early on that her fidgeting was a sign of stress, but she didn't need the compulsory action to let her know this time around.

 _After all, I haven't been home to tuck my Mihrimah into bed because I have been dealing with the team._ At the thought of her rambunctious toddler, Ayn's fidgeting soon turned into her fortelling thigh rubbing, the action brisk and haunting. All she wanted to do was to return back to her and her mother's shared apartment to care for her sick child, but she was worried that without her immediate presence the hall would turn into another giant brawl.

"Are you okay?" Noah's voice interrupted Alyn's provoking thoughts, his face twisted into that of concern. His bright violet eyes had been focused on Alyn's hands for the entire duration of his question, his eyebrows furrowed in thought. "You've been acting—different..." His words had been carefully chosen, although lacked a common questionable stutter that most people had when they were unsure of themselves.

With a polite grin, Alyn responded, "I'm fine, thank you for your concern though. You're incredibly sweet." Her grin diminished greatly the second Noah's hand outstretched to grab a hold of her own, the appendage still rubbing at her thigh subconsciously. Carefully, his palm rested on the back of her hand, his fingers wrapping around hers in means of stopping her repetitive action. "Oh, sorry, I—" Alyn began to speak as she rapidly retreated her hand out from under the boy's.

"You don't have to say you're fine again," Noah interrupted her quietly, his voice hushed in order to not attract the other room's occupants. His eyes shifted curiously to them then, his eyes lingering on his girlfriend momentarily. He sighed, contemplating the words she had reiterated to him thousands of times before, "Someone once told me that being vulnerable isn't a weakness and its true. You don't seem okay."

Alyn met the boy's eyes then, taking note of the seriousness laced within them. His stare even suggested that he had the ability to read her inner thoughts, even the ones she neglected to properly address herself, but Alyn only continued her faint smile. "I really am fine. My bandages are just itchy is all," her lie had been flawless, and in the efforts to provide emphasis she showcased her hand to the necromancer.

 _It isn't a complete lie though,_ Alyn thought to herself as she stared down at the limb herself. Seemingly satisfied with her answer, Noah nodded in response; however, his eyes continued to linger down onto her thighs for another hesitant second. When his stare finally unrooted itself from her, Alyn's smile faltered. She knew that Noah had read her file some time ago, but she grew worrisome of everything he had learned about her, especially after his reaction towards her thighs.

She glanced up briefly to look at the younger teens: Noah, who had previously been seated near her on the aging couch, now stood a good distance away with his girlfriend by his side, his arm curled around her waist sweetly. For the most part, Charlotte had been talking to Angel and Dani politely, the attention of her arrival forgotten due to the earlier day's disaster.

Alyn met Noah's eyes once again, his gaze shifting back onto her for a minute. With a reassuring look, he quietly beckoned her near the group, and Alyn figured that she looked particularly lonely then since his absence. Giving in to his silent demands, Alyn stood up from the couch and walked over to the small circle.

"Hi!" Charlotte welcomed the Turkish woman happily, her smile meeting her eyes as she spoke, "You must be Alyn, I have heard so many great things about you!"

"I hope I can live up to your expectations then," Alyn retorted, returning the younger girl's pleasantries with a genuine smile.

Angel, with a smile that could rival Charlotte's 'gala-ready' grin, added, "Alyn will exceed all of your expectations, I promise. You'll love her."

It wasn't often that the Turkish woman smiled genuinely, but at her friend's kind words she found it hard not to be rejoiced. The feeling of acceptance and love swam within Alyn's chest then, replacing the anxiety that was once there. This sentiment only grew as Angel squeezed Alyn's good mitt encouragingly.

* * *

 *** New York City's 24-Hour Pharmaceuticals**

 **September 11, 2017**

 **18:06**

 _Don't forget McKenzie's toothbrush. Don't forget McKenzie's toothbrush. Don't forget McKenzie's toothbrush._ The mantra repeated itself rapidly in Logan's mind, his eyes making swift dashes to and from the hygiene display thirty feet away from him. Despite his sleepless shift and wavering caffeine supply, the boy was energetic with his tasks, his leg bobbing up and down just as quick as his thoughts. _Don't forget McKenzie's toothbrush. She doesn't like red... so maybe get a green toothbrush._ His fingers fidgeted with the hours-old coffee cup in his hands as his brain reiterated this information for what seemed like the hundredth time since his arrival.

The boy would be lying though if he claimed that the only thing occupying his thoughts right now happened to be the dental product. For the most part, he was focused on the team's esteemed archer, who, after a mildly worrisome conversation that Raja had berated him in, appeared to be struggling with current events.

 _And it's my fault. This, and everything, is all my fault. If I didn't set up that stupid fucking simulation none of this would be happening. Victoria would be happy, Raja would be focused on his own wellbeing, and McKenzie wouldn't be passively suicidal during missions._ His spiraling thoughts continued down the list of his teammates and their states of being, before finding its direct focus of _and if it weren't for me, everyone would be happy. Everyone would be better off..._

These negative thoughts replaced the obsessive toothbrush ones angrily, _I guess my dad was right all along; I really can't do anything right, can I?_ His head fell towards the earth then in hopes that he could focus on something else, _anything_ else, even if it was just the dusty floor.

He sucked in a shaky breath when he observed the blood staining his shoe from earlier that day.

"McKenzie's toothbrush," Logan had hoped that by saying something aloud his occupied contemplations would return to a far less dangerous path.

"Excuse me, Mr. Zimnakov, your prescriptions are ready for pick up," the pharmacist's voice interrupted the Russian's thoughts then, the sound of his government surname pulling him back into reality. With another uneven breath, Logan stood up from the bench's seating, his one hand pulling his work bag up along with him. "Alright, Mr. Zimnakov, I see that you have a pickup order for six different names, is that correct?"

With a small nod, Logan spoke up, "I have an Adderall refill for an Allura Prince, an HRT refill for a McKenzie Adder, an SSRI and codeine pickup for a Dani Mayes, a Zoloft pickup for an Alyn Sanem, and a Ritalin pickup for an Oliver Lawton." As he listed the various medications, each varying from attention deficit problems to antidepressants, the pharmacist handed the white bags to Logan. When Logan was finished speaking, the medical practitioner still held one prescription in his fist—Logan's own.

 _"_ Sorry sir, that one's mine. Should be a Lithium prescription under a Logan Zimnakov?" His words out loud were polite and kind, which was a vast difference from his own internalized swears. When the pharmacist handed the Russian the last wrapped vial, his exit was instant.

* * *

 **Mount Justice**

 **September 11, 2017**

 **15:01**

Oliver entered the base's lobby quietly, his face twisted downwards to stare at the concrete flooring. His eyes, which were still somehow irritated and glossy from his crying hours ago, settled onto the main room's doorway. For a significant amount of time, that's all Oliver did. His staring was paired with contemplation, as he was unsure of whether or not he was in the mood to socialize with the others. He had figured that all ill feelings would be at rest by now, but he was not entirely sure of his thinking.

With a measly sniffle, Oliver turned towards the quartering hall. He had decided that he was not fully prepared to deal with his teammates right now, especially when he himself was struggling.

 _Besides,_ he murmured internally, _everyone on this team seems to prefer having space. No one talks anything out here._ His thinking, although backed up by sufficient evidence, disturbed the boy. He always seemed to be the only one who felt any sort of varying emotion, everyone else either plunged into the darkness of their minds or by childish antics—no in between.

"I'm always the weird one," Oliver muttered to himself as he used his jacket's sleeve to assuage his running nose. His excessive thinking nearly distracted the boy from Alyn's figure in the distance; the Turkish woman standing outside of her assigned bedroom with her phone pressed against her ear.

Normally, Oliver would have politely waved in the woman's direction before withdrawing into his own private quarters, but this was a special circumstance for multiple reasons. The first reason was simple: she had not been paying attention to her surroundings, therefore a greeting from Oliver would remain unnoticed; the second reason was more complex: Alyn was cooing into the phone.

"Mihrimah, please be good for grandma. I will be home soon, I promise," Alyn's words were soft as she spoke them, but hard in Oliver's ears. Grandma? Mihrimah? Alyn continued to speak, answering Oliver's unvoiced questions, "Mommy loves you, okay bye baby."

Oliver stared off at Alyn for a hesitant moment, his jaw slightly unhinged to showcase his utter surprise. He had not known that very delicate detail about the Muslim girl, but then again, he was not sure he knew anything about her. When silence had greeted the two, the technician attempted to reveal himself in a non-incriminating way; however, his intentions were not quite met as he spoke aloud to her.

"So," Oliver started his sentence, his voice low as he rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly.

"Aman Tanrım!" The woman shouted in panic, flummoxed by Oliver's company in the large hallway. Her hand had traveled to her chest halfway through her exclaim, her eyebrows shooting up closer to her hairline in addition. "You scared the shit out of me Ollie!" She continued, her voice turning sharp.

Her hand wavered back down towards her hip then, placing her cell phone in her jean's back pocket as she did so. "So... Mihrimah, huh?" Oliver questioned, causing Alyn's head to snap up speedily. Her Whiskey eyes turned wild in panic at the mention of her toddler's name before realization struck her that Oliver had overheard her private conversation.

In a rapid tempo, Alyn responded with a desperate, "Please don't tell the others!" Her plea was quickly followed up with an explanation, shame filling Alyn's face promptly as she said, "I don't want the team to know about her. It's not that I don't trust them all, I just don't trust that in our line of work Mihrimah would remain safe."

Her words, which were now much calmer than before, caused Oliver to raise his hands in faux surrender.

"Trust me, I get it. My lips are sealed," he said genuinely, a sweet grin spreading across his face sheepishly. Alyn sighed in relief then, before closing the gap between the two in order to hug him. Before she had the chance to separate herself from his grasp, he whispered, "And for what its worth, Mihrimah is lucky to have a mother like you."

* * *

Yessenia rubbed Victoria's arm reassuringly, her head still rested upon the archer's left, slumped shoulder. It had been hours since she felt as if her best friend needed the commiseration, but the Amazon refused to detangle herself away from Victoria.

 _After all, she has been dealing with this by herself for far too long. She's my sister, and I need to show her I will always have her back,_ Yessenia thought to herself, her speech doing nothing but confirming her compassion for the older girl. At one point, Victoria herself had started to reciprocate the hug, her own calloused thumb tracing small figures on Yessenia's skin. Her need for the hug was also a part of the reason why Yessenia had not moved.

"We should move," Victoria's hoarse voice interrupted Yessenia's contemplation, her shoulder shifting ever so slightly so that Yessenia's position was uncomfortable. "Obviously McKenzie's not coming out and I don't want to pressure her," the archer continued, her voice still cracking briefly.

Before Yessenia had the proper time to reposition herself on the Italian's body, Victoria begun to stand. Her joints, which had grown stiff from the lack of movement, ached as she stretched them out. With a hard hand, Victoria pulled Yessenia to her feet as well.

"Are you sure Vicky? I don't mind sitting and waiting with you," the princess asked in slight shock. She never would have figured that Victoria's stubbornness would be so easily disengaged, but she did understand the reasoning behind its rest.

"Yeah, I'm sure. There's no need to sit around waiting, especially when we have a new team member waiting to properly meet us," Victoria assured, reminding the taller girl of Charlotte's arrival, or better yet, the newest reason to tease the resident necromancer. It had been so long since either girl had viciously teased their shortest teammate, and Yessenia knew that it was long overdue.

With one last look towards the serpent's bedroom door, the two girls bounded off towards the living room with linked arms, the taller of the two practically floating in excitement.

* * *

"Feet off the coffee table," Raja grumbled as he walked past the living room, his eyes barely finding refuge on Dani's combat-boot clad feet resting upon said surface. With an eye roll, the ex-assassin complied with Raja's demands, her feet stomping at the ground below it in faux attitude. She knew that that rule had been enforced by the entirety of the base's occupants, but she only respected a handful of people enough to follow their directions, Raja being one of them.

Her piercing blue eyes peered over her fake box glasses daringly, her expression intimidating the others as she retorted, "You're not my mom, you know."

With incredible charisma that the team did not know Raja had, he snapped back from his position in the kitchen, "Oh yeah? Well, Logan isn't here right now so you're going to have to listen to dad. Feet off the damn table."

His response resulted in yet another eye roll from the team's resident rebel, her annoyance seeping through her usually stoic appearance greatly. Out of her peripheral vision, Dani spotted Logan's lithe form, a becoming smile gracing her usually apathetic features. Then, with a wickedly evil grin, Dani announced, "Hey, mom is home," as Logan entered the base's main room.

If it hadn't been for Dani's uncharacteristic joke, the boy's entrance might have gone unnoticed, the majority of the room's inhabitants still snickering at Raja's earlier snide comment. With a satisfied smirk, the ex-assassin turned to face Logan for a proper greeting, only to be met with a labeled white bag falling into her unsuspecting lap gracefully.

"Take the white one out and give me back the orange one," Logan said expertly in Dani's direction, his facial expression serious as he spoke; before the girl could question his motives though, he continued to hand out various white packages. For the second time in under five minutes, Dani listened to the wisdom of another—this time without complaint.

Whilst watching her best friend open up her own prescription, Victoria turned to Logan, "Did you remember to get McKenzie her toothbrush?"

It was as if a record scratch had gone off in Logan's mind, a sharp intake of breath following suit. In a quiet voice, he stammered, "I forgot—I forgot her toothbrush. Damn it that was the one thing I had to get and I forgot it." He turned to Victoria then, his face ashen with clouded disappointment, "Mind watching her for ten more minutes so I can go out and grab her one?"

At everyone's sudden and gravely matched expressions, the medic's eyes traveled among the group suspiciously, before he asked a daring, "What's wrong?"

"About that," Angel started sheepishly, taking charge of the situation before someone more directly-involved did.

* * *

 **Mount Justice**

 **September 11, 2017**

 **21:36**

Charlotte's slightly scarred hands tampered with the filing cabinet in the medical bay, her eyes skimming past the names of all of her new-found teammates as she fingered through their informative documents. She was skeptical of many of them, the most mysterious of the bunch to her being Dani and Sam. Her mistrust of them did not stem from Noah's remarks or even their offset personalities however, but from their lack of emotions.

 _Any emotions, might I add..._

The empath had felt various emotions when she was placed in a room with the group: Victoria's anger had been the most prominent sensation, followed closely behind by Alyn's own disappointment, and the others, for the most part, were muted mixtures of the two women. The two holes that were missing from Charlotte's palet were Sam and Dani, the former remaining surprisingly neutral despite his previous conflict. She had not known anybody to remain calm through stitches-worthy strikes.

 _Which is off-putting,_ the Gotham citizen thought to herself briefly as she remembered the aggressive injuries he had procured from Victoria only hours earlier. _He didn't even feel the pain that she was putting him through..._ her internal monologue grew into a battled conversation between her trust and her doubtfulness, the latter clearly winning as she continued on with her search.

Although the necromancer had briefed her on the seemingly more important information of the growing group, she decided to investigate them further. As Charlotte thumbed through the files, some far too old to even be considered helpful, she came across what she assumed to be Logan's own file.

"That's not quite English," Charlotte Rein muttered to herself in slight annoyance, the tab of the manila folder she had pulled out written in neat Russian. When she opened the sleeve, she grew even more irked at the lack of a comprehensible alphabet. "Of course," she groaned, before dropping it back inside of the filing cabinet. She hadn't met the boy himself yet, but if this was any indication of his state, she did not trust him.

 _I guess if I really wanted to I could have Oracle translate the information for me later,_ the humanitarian mused, before skipping through to pull out the portfolios of her original inquiries.

In a detective-esque fashion, the girl peered upon the ex-assassin's information first, her warm eyes scanning the pages for any abnormalities. It was evident for the most part that Dani had been entangled in a villainous lifestyle beforehand, but the necromancer's girlfriend could find nothing to deem her guilty of any current crimes. Charlotte knew herself though, whether or not Dani was innocent, she would still have Oracle, or even Batman himself, check on her validity. Same applied to Sam.

She opened his file next, the harrowingly empty paper taunting her as soon as it was exposed to her. It was as if the man was dead to the world. For this, she knew that she would need additional help.

It was her boyfriend's name that stood out to her next, his name smudged from constant opens. _Of course he's gotten himself into trouble since he got here, trouble might as well be Noah's middle name._ She hummed to herself as she rethought of the smaller teenager.

* * *

 _"You can't possibly be serious Char! A gala as a fundraiser idea? Who are you, Bruce Wayne?" The teasing tone exited the older girl's upturned lips, a slight smirk tugging them towards the right as she laughed._

 _The high school hallway was noisy as Charlotte broke through a compact assemble, the students parting around the firey witch as if she were Moses, her shoulders gracefully avoiding theirs. With a pointed look, she glanced back at her friend. "Have you ever seen me and Bruce Wayne in the same place, honey?" Charlotte goaded as she stopped her stride, her destination finally being met. Her grin only grew as she began to dial her locker's combination, "And besides, why not? Everybody loves a good gala."_

 _Charlotte pulled her textbooks out from its neat pile within the compartment, before replacing them with her lunch bag. "Nobody loves going to a gala, that's why we all stay home when our parents go," the senior retorted as she leaned against the metal barrier, her bag falling to the floor in a slump. "Nobody would be able to plan one before the end of the month anyways_ —"

 _Her words violently died off in a quick panic, a locker door slamming shut loudly nearby. The sounds of the hallway's rustles were immediately preceded by shouts of excitement and encouragement, the obvious telltale sign that a fight had broken out._

 _Charlotte's chest filled with concern and darkness, and her eyes snapped towards her peer's whilst she spoke, "I got to go, you better get a teacher."_

 _"But_ —! _" She did not wait to hear her friend's response; her flee had been motivated and rapid._

 _For the second time that day, Charlotte separated the crowd before her, her hands pushing them aside. When she finally reached the forefront of the group, her speed increased to stand between the two fighters, her favor towards the smaller boy who was knocked down on the tile. It was almost instantly then that she recognized the duo: Noah Alexander, the orphaned boy she had been assigned to chaperone around the academy, and Chad Peterson, an ill-tempered hockey player who had a history of bullying._

 _"Really Peterson?" Charlotte chastised vehemently, her hands finding refuge on her hips as she stood up taller. Her march brought her under his chin, her head tilted upwards to match his glared expression. "Did you take a hockey puck to the head or something? You could be removed from the team for fighting, or even expelled!"_

 _The gigantic brood heaved air into his lungs angrily, his hands balled into fists by his side. "Move out of the way Hitler, or you're going to regret it," he threatened. With an eye roll, Charlotte turned away from him, her arm outstretched to pull Noah back up to his feet. As their hands connected, Charlotte was forced to suck in a deep breath, the feelings of intense sorrow and pain flooding into her._

 _She wasn't able to retreat herself from him before Chad grabbed at her own wrist painfully._

 _Her reaction was instant though, her grip dropping Noah's limb and flying towards the athlete's shoulder at a speed that would make the Flash himself jealous. Then, with a 180-spin, she lifted his right arm over her left shoulder and pulled him over._

 _"You think you'd be a better fighter, puckhead," Charlotte sassed as his body smacked the floor beneath them. The group that had encircled them called out tremendously in shock, the boy himself moaning on the ground as he struggled to breathe. The witch then turned to witness Noah's gaping expression, her hand once again reaching for his. If there was one person on the campus who needed the comfort of a companion, it had to be Noah._

* * *

 **As always, my inbox is completely open to you all if you need to talk things through. I understand that sometimes the material that I write can be triggering, and although I try my best to give proper warning beforehand, I am not perfect in this regard. If you feel as if something I write needs to be altered, please let me know.**

 **In addition, please don't forget to either review or private message your thoughts, as it makes updating much easier (otherwise I have no idea if I'm going in the right direction with your character, and it may cause me to shift focus off of them so that I don't completely ruin your characters for you). That being said, I do have questions that I would like you to answer:**

 **1\. Are emotionally based chapters like this your preference, or do you prefer mission/character based chapters? If you prefer emotion, which emotion would you like to see next? If mission/character, which mission/character would you like to see next?**

 **2\. There are many undeveloped friendships in the story, which ones would you like to see more of? (Friendships like Victoria/Yessenia and Oliver/Raja do not count)**

 **3\. Any changes in favorite characters?**

 **Sadly, over two thousand words had been deleted from this chapter by fanfiction, so I did have to remove some scenes in order for the chapter to make sense. I'll add them to the next update though, so hakuna matata.**


	18. Chapter 18

**Hey guys! I really have no excuse for this update being super late, and I feel like it would be annoying if I apologized again, so I am just going to breathe easy. As always, if you have any ideas for the story or your character, please let me know! I hate focusing on three or four characters, especially since I have such a large variety of them to choose from, but it's hard for me not to when I have no basis to go off of. If you truly have no ideas for your character, that's okay, but let me know in a pm/review that it is okay to expand them; otherwise, I won't.**

 **That being said, parts that are triggering will be marked with an asterisk before the location. If you need to talk anything out, I am just a pm away and I am here for you.**

* * *

 **The Batcave (UNKNOWN COORDINATES)**

 **September 12, 2017**

 **10:44**

"I am inclined to believe that the manor's coffee maker is holding you lot hostage," the proper timbre of a British accent echoed out into the cave judgementally, the sound breaking the previously agreed upon silence between the small group. The quip was then quickly followed behind by numerous retorts, most of them siding with a witty tongue rather than apologies.

"I, for one, surrender to my captor," Noah chuckled earnestly as he spoke out from his adopted family, a mischievous glint hidden behind his violet eyes as he spoke out. His smirk, although tired in appearance, was perhaps the most prominent expression in the room, the other occupants either serious or exhausted after an all-nighter focused primarily around death and violent crimes in the disastrous city.

As Alfred reached the bottom of the metallic stairs, his hand left the protective railing slowly, "You know, young Master Noah, I do recall that caffeine is amongst the most brutal of kidnappers. I suggest you escape while you still can."

The banter between the two was shared with caring glances, expressive eyebrows, and utmost sincerity, and for that, the necromancer was eternally grateful. Despite the overwhelming amount of gloom that typically befell the Wayne family, it had been a familiar feeling for the boy. It was comfortable, even when it was miserable; however, Noah felt no need to be sorrowful as he drank his morning coffee and ate leftover cookies from the night before.

"Escape-smape, I am happy in my loving relationship," Noah continued to joke aloud.

Charlotte, who had previously been stationed on the other side of the room, poked her head up from under a mound of paperwork at his words. With a nonchalant tongue, she responded to her boyfriend's statement, "Babe, I hate to tell you that your relationship might be one-sided. I don't think your coffee has feelings."

Before Noah could flirtatiously tease the young empath back, Alfred intervened, "And Miss Rein would know, after all." With an expectant hand out in front of him then, Alfred quickly switched topics, "Your coffee mug, sir."

The loyal butler's eyes were hard as if daring Noah to protest his command, and with a defeated chuckle, Noah passed Alfred his nearly empty mug. With his newly freed hands, Noah rubbed at his eyes in exhaustion. "What are you even doing over there Lotte?" The necromancer questioned, his yawn stifling his words.

After a, for a lack of better words, interesting fiasco back at the mountain base regarding McKenzie and Sam, Noah and Charlotte had decided to return to the Batcave to help with Gotham's more apparent crimes. And after multiple hours worth of work, the two teenagers had transitioned back into the Team's databased files; after all, the true reason why either of the two had been asked to join the team was because of Death himself. Noah, for the better part of the last two hours, had been scrutinizing crime scene photos from his first night's work.

"Pretending I know enough Russian to translate this stupid file," the girl murmured, her eyes traveling back down onto the printed papers in front of her. Her gaze kept shifting from the propped open dictionary to her left and to the stolen medical files to her right; her concentration unmatched by any bat family member in the room. If it wasn't for her sense of pride, the girl might have given up her unassigned mission; after all, she was sure that there were more pressing members of her newly joined team to focus her search on. For example, Sam's file was still alarmingly blank, and Dani's file held multiple discrepancies.

 _But why is his file the only one not in English? Raja's, Alyn's, and Angel's files are all in English and they are from different countries..._ she continued her paranoid thinking. _So i_ _t means Logan is hiding something_ —s _omething that I demand to know the answer to._ Her focus broke once more at the sound of her boyfriend's movement from behind her, his head peering over her shoulder.

"Why does that not surprise me?" Noah laughed half-heartedly, finally figuring out what his girlfriend was doing. The necromancer had been doing the same activity not even a full month ago, and if his hunch was right, Charlotte was studying her newfound teammate's personal files. With an astute guess, Noah offered, "If you are trying to read Logan's medical file, an English translation is already downloaded onto the Batcomputer."

A petty smirk found refuge on Noah's face, cheekily antagonizing Charlotte and all of her previous efforts to translate the file by hand.

 _Of course there was already a translated file; why wouldn't there already be a translated file?_ Charlotte thought to herself sarcastically as she spun around in her chair, her hands thrown up in defeat. "Now you tell me!"

* * *

 *** Mount Justice**

 **September 12, 2017**

 **10:44**

Raja watched as Oliver shifted in his sleep with firm eyes; his thoughts rightfully focused on the odd sleeping position of the somewhat larger boy. Oliver's body, which had been contorted almost painfully in means of properly fitting onto the living room's couch, allowed for his long legs to lay upon the side rest, his shins resting against the thinned area uncomfortably. His neck was unusually bent on the sofa's opposite end, and his face was buried into the crook of Oliver's elbow. All in all, it seemed as if painful rigor mortis was settling in on a decomposing body.

With a small sigh, Raja neared the boy. With a smaller blanket in hand, the Muslim man smoothed it out onto his friend's exposed body, the fabric cascading over Oliver's bare chest delicately.

"Oh no," the Muslim man muttered to himself privately under a hushed tone, his face sunken. From his current position standing next to the technician, Raja could clearly see the swelling adorning Oliver's naturally thin face—a clear indication of wept tears, moreso aggressively than casually.

For a split second, irrational anger flooded through Raja's veins. He had never known Oliver to be a crier, so he had automatically assumed that the worst had occurred to his friend, whether that be a justified belief or not. And the more Raja thought about it, the more angry he would become; after all, he had only seen Oliver cry once before, and that was after a relatively bad visit home.

Almost instantly, Raja had debunked the cause of Oliver's sudden sullen mood: family.

 _He's always like this after an unpleasant visit with his dad... they probably talked about his mom again,_ Raja thought sadly. Despite Oliver being a relatively reserved person in terms of his private life, Raja was no stranger to it. He knew about his friend's home-life problems, and he often found himself trying to help from afar: Oliver was far too prideful to accept his care any other way.

"You'll be alright Ollie," Raja muttered under his breath lightly, "You'll get through this." Even though Oliver was perpetually unaware of this one-way conversation, it brought peace to Raja's subconscious. He always hated seeing the ones he cared for hurt, but he hated not being able to do anything to help them much more. Almost naively, Raja hoped that his earlier words of comfort would mean something to the sleeping boy, although he did doubt it, especially when they were words devoid from a prayer.

Raja would be lying if he said that he hadn't prayed for Oliver's well-being in the past. At least once every couple of weeks, the Indian native would entreat on Oliver's behalf, mainly when it concerned peace and health in his life. He knew that Allah had been Merciful to Raja himself when his life had gotten relatively difficult, and he had figured Oliver needed the sentiment as well.

For the second time that morning, Raja said, "You'll be alright," towards Oliver, this time more hopeful than the last.

* * *

 _"You'll be alright," a panicked Raja soothed, his hands flying to grab hold onto his collapsing little sister. The younger girl, who was usually incredibly lively, had fallen faint, her eyes rolling to the back of her head as she crumbled towards the floor. When Raja finally managed to get a proper grip on his sister's lithe frame, he could feel the heat radiating off of her unusually pale skin. "You'll be alright, I promise. Wake up, baby."_

 _Her much tinier hand held onto Raja's weakly as she started to gain some sense of consciousness back, tears pricking at the edge of her doe-like eyes. Instantly, Raja sighed out in relief, but he soon took that breath back. Her nose had started to bleed slightly, and her eyes looked weak once more. Before Raja could mutter the reassuring phrase again, she had slipped into the realm of unconsciousness once more, this time far heavier than the last._

 _"Mom!" Raja cried out in fear as he cradled his sister's head close to his chest. "Mom, please, its Noor! Come quick!"_

 _It was barely a moment later when both of Raja's parents had come running into his bedroom, faces of surprise and horror illuminating off of them like a distinct mask. His mother had caught a 'deer in the headlights' expression, her hand reaching up to cover her agape mouth; whereas his father had rushed to pick up Noor from Raja's lap, prying his arms away from his little sister._

 _As his parents dashed out to the nearest hospital with Noor, Raja stood put on his bedroom's floor, his eyes focusing on his now empty hands. She had been so scarily ill, and all he could do was mutter pathetic lines—pathetic lines in which he would later learn held no truth. Noor was anything but alright_

* * *

 *** Amanda's Inside Archery Range**

 **September 12, 2017**

 **12:08**

The emptiness seemingly reverberated inside of Victoria, the feeling, or rather lack of one, filling her lungs suffocatingly as she slowly lowered her arms from their previous position out in front of her. Her bow clattered to the ground loudly then as she discarded it, before she walked forward to retrieve her arrow's from their foam, deer-like target; the sharpened ends having pierced holes through to the other side.

Last night had been difficult for her in many ways, and for perhaps an hour she had believed that the McKenzie situation had been behind them, but she was gravely mistaken. The disappointment in Logan's eyes the night before as he realized that McKenzie's trauma had returned and Victoria had not been there to prevent it haunted her. She had felt as if she had gained the ability to read minds then, and all that the medic had thought was that she had been a disappointment to him, and more importantly to McKenzie. The following events had been underserved, especially since the Italian knew that everything bad that had happened was her fault. He had been too kind, and she did not deserve it in the slightest.

* * *

 _Victoria watched as McKenzie slammed the door after Logan, her shouts damn near loud enough for tourists outside of the cave to hear. With a shrill exclaim, McKenzie hollered, "Don't you ever try to talk to me again! You are nothing but a fucking liar!" Her uncharacteristic cursing was a surprise to even Sam, who had been standing behind Victoria alongside everyone else._

 _The psychologist took a step forward then as if to say something to Victoria, or perhaps even to the solemn medic, but he remained silent. He had anticipated every reaction besides the one that McKenzie was currently expressing. He had expected almost anything else, even as much as her quitting the team momentarily, but this was far worse than he could have imagined. She was inconsolable._

 _Then, with an almost too emotionless of a voice, Logan broke the silence, "Victoria, is your hand okay?"_

 _The sudden question confused the archer. She had punched Sam; she should not be cared for after that, especially when the man in question had been standing just next to her. With a small glance down, as if suddenly remembering her fist was in agonizing pain, the girl shook her head. She knew better than to lie._

 _"That's what I thought, come on," he said softly, his eyes shifting focus from McKenzie's door to her. He stood still as Victoria joined his side, and then with a final look back at McKenzie's door, he ushered her towards the medical bay privately. The remainder of the team stood still in shock, Noah slowly inching his way forward in attempts to be of some use. If there was something that Victoria could commend him for, it was for his stubborned care._

 _Words were exchanged behind them, the only discernable voices being McKenzie's, Noah's and surprisingly Dani's, but Victoria paid them no mind. She hadn't truly been paying attention to anything since Logan's arrival back on base._

 _When the duo finally made entry into the medical bay, Victoria took a seat on what she could now only describe as her cot. It seemed as if after every mission the team went on lately, Victoria would be found in the same room, on the same cot, and eating the same flavored Jell-O. It was like clock-work, especially as she threw her arm out towards Logan without prompt, her eyes staring off into the distant wall._

 _It took perhaps thirty seconds before Victoria realized the medic had been communicating with her, his soft squeeze on her wrist bringing her away from her state of dissociation. With glossy and taciturn eyes, she found Logan's gaze_ _—worried and tired_ _. Then, once again with no prompt, she started to cry, a string of, "I am so sorry," following suit. She was at fault for his stress, she was sure of it._

 _"Hey, hey, hey," Logan shushed her as he pulled her into his chest for a hug, "It's okay. I promise you its okay. You're okay." His whispers were slow and calm, the exact opposite of how Victoria was._

 _"It's not okay! I caused this!" Victoria shouted, her words muffled into the crook of his shoulder, her tears staining his uniform. The two remained like this for perhaps another three minutes, the only sound being Victoria's sobbing, before the archer suddenly pulled away from the man—her face full of shame. Once more, she apologized, this time moreso for crying than anything else. She didn't deserve to cry, especially not on top of him._

 _"Please don't apologize for crying," Logan reassured, "It's okay to cry."_

 _She almost wished aloud that he would stop using that word; the word 'okay' did not describe any part of how she currently felt. It's not okay... none of this was okay. She had failed to be there for McKenzie, allowed Sam to go against Logan's instructions, and then she promoted further damage as she reacted with violence towards the situation. She had done everything wrong._

 _She continued to cry, this time ranting. "I mess everything up! Why the fuck was I ever allowed to be the leader in the first place?! I screwed up the case with Death, I constantly get everyone and myself hurt, and for fucking what? Just to prove my parents wrong? To prove the assholes at school wrong?" She had grown nearly hysterical by this point, her words jumbled and hurt. "To prove myself fucking wrong?"_

 _"Vic," Logan interrupted as a sigh escaped his downturned lips, "You were allowed to be the leader because you were the strongest amongst us. You were meant to be the leader."_

 _"Bullshit!" Victoria argued, "I got to be the leader because you didn't feel like being it anymore!" Her words were harsher than she had meant them to be._

 _"It had nothing to do with what I wanted," Logan revealed, a crack to his voice, "You may not believe it, but it was because you were stronger. Ask anyone out there if you need the extra reassurance." By the time he had finished his sentence, Victoria's hand had been properly cleaned and bandaged, Motrin resting in her palm for her inflammation. For the duration of their conversation in which she had been yelling at him, he had quietly taken care of her. It was a good distraction, Victoria had supposed._

 _With a much calmer tone than before, Victoria thanked the medic. "Thanks for letting me scream at you and ruin your jacket, although you didn't deserve it," the Italian sheepishly said, her attempts at humor made to try to get the medic to forget about their horrible conversation._

 _Noticing Victoria's still reddened eyes and tears edging her water line, Logan retorted, "You don't get to thank me until after you've finished screaming at me and you don't have any more tears left to cry." Then, with a reassuring grip, Logan said, "Let's go on a walk."_

* * *

"What are you up to beautiful?" A voice interrupted Victoria from her thoughts, her concentration broken. Her arrow, which had gone slack from the surprise, returned once more to the button mount as she turned to aim at the intruder. Once again, her arrow became slack as it pointed towards Oliver's knee.

She couldn't help but admit that she was starting to grow fond of the boy; his persisting positivity a much-needed relief, especially after the aggressive negativity plaguing her mind. With a pleasant smirk, Victoria cheekily said, "Oliver, if you don't stop flirting with me I might just shoot you." There were other comments the Italian had considered saying, such as _"Why are you here?", "How did you find me?",_ and the most likely response of _"Leave me alone!"_ but the girl couldn't fathom saying any of that to Oliver's puppy-eyed look.

With an excited and equally cheeky smirk from her response, Oliver flirted back with a wink, "You might want to aim a bit higher then, Cupid." He walked even closer to the archer then, as if testing her and her abilities, or rather, the likelihood of her actually shooting him. "But you never answered my question," the technician reminded her, his flirty tone gone.

"Well," Victoria paused as she notched her arrow once more onto her bow, before releasing it onto her deer target, "I'm not throwing eggs and flour onto the kitchen's ceiling, that's for sure."

"Oh ha, ha," Oliver responded from the girl's tease, his laughs bitter but filled with humor. Then, with the humor gone from his voice, Oliver spoke, "Speaking of home though, you're wanted back. Mr. Crow assigned us another homework packet and its due in an hour," his code brought Victoria out of her playful mood, her expression now turning serious. There was a new mission, and the code meant it was major.

Hoisting up all of her equipment, Victoria nodded in understanding: Crow was the team's name for Death's case.

* * *

 **Mount Justice**

 **September 12, 2017**

 **14:15**

Dani sneered, her face pointed down towards the ground as she did so. Her fingers, which had previously been working steadily at lacing her costumed combat boots, fell idle to their sides. "So, we had a mission, but the only people who get to go on said mission is you and Noah?" Dani's question had been filled with distrust, something that was uncommon towards Sam.

Sam's eyes bore down at the ex-assassin, the sharp blue matching Dani's own. His expression almost begged her to challenge his decisions, and on any other given day she might've, but over the course of the last few days, her trust in the psychologist had faltered. McKenzie had always been nothing but an absolute sweetheart to her, and despite the fact that the two girls weren't that close, Dani had cared for the older girl's well-being. Additionally, she found it a bit curious as to how a renowed psychologist, one who on a daily works with criminal masterminds, misread a seventeen year old girl.

"Alright, so why did you call all of us here then?" Dani pressed. He had called for an emergency gathering on a deadly case, but failed to mention that no one was actually aiding in it. And the more Dani thought about the situation, the weirder it became.

"When did you begin questioning me, Azure?" Sam's usage of the teen's hero-persona muddled Dani significantly, especially as he narrowed his eyes at the girl's aggressive demeanor. "Did you stop trusting me after one mistake?"

 _He's playing Devil's Advocate now..._ Dani's gaze grew hard. Then, with the most nonchalant tone the girl could muster, she retorted, "No. I'm just curious as to what I'm supposed to be doing now." It hadn't entirely been a lie; she did intend on formulating a plan that would benefit her and her team, but she now knew that her trust in the man was now completely askew. It was easy to lose her trust, she would admit, but until he gave her reason to let her guard down again she wouldn't. Dani refused to be blindsided again.

Sam smiled lowly, his grin barely stretching his shallow cheeks out. "Just trying to read you is all," he revealed, his gaze returning back to a normal standpoint. He glanced towards the changing area, where he knew everyone else had been getting into uniform. "I figured Noah and I could go out and investigate a new lead on Death, and you and the others could be on standby," he reasoned.

 _I'm on standby?_ The girl thought quizzically. _Nobody ever puts me on standby; I'm the big guns._ With another sneer, the girl removed her steel gauntlets from her wrist; in her opinion, she is either present on a mission, or she doesn't go on one. There was no in between. _In betweens get hurt..._

By the time Dani had made a move towards the living room, others had begun pouring out into the area, everyone dressed in their respective uniformed clothing. She knew that in no time they would trickle back out into the base, disappointed or rather confused groans escaping them either verbally or by expressions. It was times like this that Dani had figured she would make an above-average psychologist herself; she knew her teammates rather well by this point.

* * *

Angel watched in disdain as Sam explained the situation to Noah. The feeling had been uncomfortable, a smidge of jealousy swirling from inside the Mexican boy as he stared off at them; after all, Sam would typically do these sorts of things with him, their bond almost too close for words. The two had shared a mentor-mentee relationship, his friendship being shared moreso with Dani than anybody else, but it was still a close bond nonetheless.

The water-powered boy watched on in interest as Noah grew just as uncomfortable, the necromancer now rocking to and fro on the heels of his feet as if to distract himself. Angel had figured that the necromancer had wanted to spend this time with his girlfriend, whether that be on the field or not, but the discomfort levels only seemed to rise. Before Angel could intervene however, Logan had joined the two males instead, Raja soon following suit.

"You got room in your party for two more?" Raja asked the duo, his eyes shifting from Logan onto Sam expertly.

With a chilling tone, Sam responded flatly, "No thanks. There's no need to add any more DNA evidence onto a crime scene than absolutely necessary." Then, as if just noticing Angel, Sam added, "And besides, if I needed anybody else, I would just ask Angel to come. You guys would be best suited here as backup just in case anything bad happens. Right, Noah?" At the mention of the diviner, Sam had wrapped an arm around Noah's smaller frame, pulling him in close.

Angel originally felt validated that he was his old squad leader's primary choice; however, he couldn't help but feel as if he was 'chosen' simply based on the fact that he had been within view of Sam at the time. In his opinion, he couldn't see why Sam would ask for him instead of Alyn in this scenario. He had usually preferred her expertise on law and regulations on scenes such as this. He generally _just preferred_ Alyn on his side.

"Good thing we were gloves then, right?" Logan pressured, his arms crossing over his chest as he spoke, stepping forward as if to block Sam away from the others. Raja had joined him by his side then, the duo planting themselves between Noah and Sam.

"Right. Like Mr. Destructive over here can be trusted in a fragile crime scene if something were to happen," Sam rationed, his stance now matching the other two's, "Look, I was asked by Batman to solve this case, and I would like to obtain the intact evidence to do so."

Raja smiled then politely, his head tilting ever so slightly to the right, before commenting, "You're absolutely right. I could definitely mess up a crime scene, but I think a secret operative trained by the Russian army is more than perfect for your expedition, wouldn't you say?" The Muslim man's words could have cut steel, but dripped with the sweetness that could rival honey; it was completely unsettling for Angel to watch. Logan only grinned. Another beat passed on by, before Raja added, "Logan, you and Noah should go pack your go-bag, I'll stay and help Sam with any other preparations."

From the other side of the room, slightly hidden behind by the doorway, Angel watched as Logan and Noah made their way towards the armory, the older boy making idle conversation about the necromancer's girlfriend as they went on. Then, when Raja had been certain that the two boys were alone, his body language shifted, his voice going low. Angel could barely hear as Raja sternly whispered, "Make sure they get back from this mission safely. Death is nothing to be treated lightly, and if this decision of yours goes sour and something happens to them, I will rip your windpipe out of your throat."

The threat caused Angel's eyes to widen in surprise; he has maybe heard Raja say a total of four sentences since his introduction to the team, none of them even a fraction as violent. For a moment, he contemplated revealing himself to the two. He was upset that the entirety of the team was treating Sam poorly on the basis of one mistake but the more the water-powered boy thought about it, the more he understood.

 _Sam was the leader of the squad during the mission that McKenzie had lost her memory and Noah and Alyn had been hurt. Alyn even warned us to bring other teammates along because of how dangerous Killer Frost is, but Sam didn't listen._ Eventually Angel's thinking became more paranoid, _behind every bad decision so far, Sam was there._

With that final realization, Angel ducked away from the briefing area. Just like Raja and Logan had tried protecting Noah from further harm, Angel was going to do the same.

* * *

Charlotte played with the hem of her shirt's long, black sleeve, a bubble popping lazily in her mouth. _Of course I got benched from my 'first' mission with the team,_ she mused, _but by the looks of it, everyone got benched._

Her mind quickly danced from the mission to her earlier activity, the thought of the team members' histories rambling on through her mind as her eyes jumped from person to person. For a moment, her eyes stood still on Alyn's figure, the Turkish woman texting away on her phone with her noninjured hand. _Two years of therapy for problems relating to self-harm and depression after a sexual assault, mother of one, straight A student from a law school... currently feels like longing._

The empath smiled weakly at the woman when she had looked up from her phone, Alyn's past sorrows flowing through Charlotte's brain even then. She often did not mean to invade the privacy of others, especially when it came to what emotions they would be experiencing, but Charlotte could not help what her powers naturally did. When Alyn had returned Charlotte's smile, the younger of the two pulled her focus away and towards someone else in the room.

So far, Charlotte had been neutral towards Yessenia, the young princess being of no worry to her. _Daughter to Wonder Woman and adopted niece of Black Canary, raised as a warrior with no outstanding problems pertaining to the man-walking world, and an honor roll student at the local high school... currently feels like_ —

"So, what's the game plan? I know we aren't going to sit in here and do nothing while there are criminals to look for," Angel called out into the kitchen as he entered, a bounce to his step as he hoisted himself up on a counter near the Amazonian princess. The sudden loudness and exertion of confidence caused a slight headache to breach Charlotte's cloudy mind, interrupting her from her readings. "Oh, and hey new Barbie," Angel greeted, before he instantly returned his focus back towards some of the boys.

Charlotte raised an eyebrow. "I beg your pardon?" She questioned, causing a pause to occur in the conversation he was currently embarking in with Oliver. The boy barely had time to turn to formulate a response before Alyn began to spoke.

"Really Angel? We talked about this," Alyn reprimanded whilst glancing up, her voice full of disappointment as she pocketed her device. "Sometimes I don't blame Yessenia or Victoria for snapping at you."

Yessenia smirked at the woman's remark, her fist balled up at her side as if to remind Angel that the option was always there. Nevertheless, the princess knew that he was right about something needing to be done. If the group couldn't go after Death himself, then they could very well go on and look for Killer Frost. The group as a whole needed the win; if the moral didn't increase soon, Yessenia feared it would be the end of not only her best friends, but for the team as a whole.

* * *

With a soft and timid hiccup, McKenzie slowly rose to a sitting position on her bed, her comforter falling pathetically behind her onto the mattress. "This is stupid," the girl murmured aloud as she brought a sleeved arm up towards her eyes in means to wipe the area. "This is pathetic. I'm pathetic," she continued her personal attack, her voice flattening out defeatedly with every word she spoke.

Her typically bright green eyes appeared dull then, bloodily agitated due to her hours-long consistent sobbing, but McKenzie did not care. In the serpent girl's opinion, she had shed enough tears for herself today. With another hiccup, she stood on her legs and made a move towards her locked bedroom's door.

As she neared her destination however, McKenzie could feel her chest tightening uncomfortably with panic, the thought of her friends suddenly blossoming to mind. For a hesitant moment, she debated whether or not she could actually face both Yessenia and Victoria's worry; disappointedly, her conclusion was uncertain.

 _Everyone went through the same simulation I went through though, and they all made it out okay... for the most part, that is._ McKenzie initially snapped at herself, before thinking back upon the others. She would be lying to herself if she said that Victoria, or Noah, or even Logan recovered completely from the simulation's events; after all, the demigod just knew that if she had relived a torturous memory or a fabrication of one with added fears, she would be in a way worse off condition. _And that's just it, I am weak and pathetic. I can't handle just Yessenia's death._

The words 'weak' and 'pathetic' repeated themselves rapidly in the serpent's already cluttered mind, but they did no additional damage. What harm could the 166th 'pathetic' really do in comparison to the 165th? With a final insult to carry her on, she wrapped diligent fingers around the doorknob presenting itself in front of her, and, with a final inhale, she opened her door.

Surprise instantly filled the girl's veins, allowing her to momentarily forget her previous anguish. The lack of greeting, or even warmth, in the hallway before her had stunned her completely. It seemed completely out of character for the videogame playing duo to not be sitting outside of her door with horror-stricken faces, and McKenzie was not sure if she was allowed to feel offended by their absence. In their defense, she had been nonverbal for hours and did not provide them with any hope that she might be soon. Their absence still hurt her though.

 _Maybe I should find them,_ McKenzie thought to herself as she glanced about the hallway gingerly, the want to not be alone anymore suffocating her already drowned brain. _Or maybe... maybe it would be a good idea to talk to Sam. Where would he be at this time?_ Her thoughts even surprised her. She had never before wanted to communicate with the cold man, but after everything that's happened, she thinks that he might be the only one at the Cave that she trusts.

With a final look around the narrowed and twisted hallway, McKenzie ventured out further into the cave.

* * *

 **I cut the update in half again. It was, once again, incredibly long, and I didn't want reading these updates to become a chore to you all. As always, please tell me what you guys are thinking! It's more helpful then you'd think (and don't be afraid to ask for something! You guys won the tiger simply by asking for it!) My parting questions for you all in this update are:**

 **1\. How have your initial reactions towards these characters changed? Who has surprised you the most?**

 **2\. For next update, do you want it more backstory based or more relationship based?**

 **3\. Are there any new friendships you guys see occuring/want to occur? Any friendships you think won't be as strong?**


End file.
